Meet me halfway
by S.M.A
Summary: After finishing up his business in the world of the living, Ichigo Kurosaki has chosen to join the Gotei 13 as a captain. However, the lieutenant he's assigned is less-than-thrilled with being demoted, and takes her anger out on her new "superior."
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Unusual, yes, but seeing as IchiRuki, IchiHime, and Yaoi is everywhere, I tried to be creative.

**Disclaimer**: **I don't own Bleach, or it's characters, in any way, shape, or form****.**

* * *

It was a brisk morning in the Seireitei, and one Ichigo Kurosaki was making his way towards the first division barracks. Today was the day he would be inducted as a captain of the Gotei 13. The war with Aizen had taken its toll on everyone, and Ichigo decided that he would become a full-fledged shinigami after tying up some loose ends in the world of the living. After reflecting on everything that happened since he met Rukia Kuchiki, he was glad his friends were there to help him through it.

Renji Abarai, a good friend of both Ichigo and Rukia, and had been promoted in the following months after the Winter War, had advised him that the promotion ceremony was mostly ceremonial, and he was such a legend that it was killing the Gotei 13 _not_ having him among their ranks. Despite this, he still had a bit of nervousness for his first formal meeting.

"**You're pathetic, king. You're one of the strongest beings alive, and you pause at a stupid meeting?**" His inner hollow spoke to him. During and after the Winter War, for their mutual survival, Ichigo and his inner hollow had begrudgingly drawn closer for better understanding of one another. Although the banter still existed, the threats to take over, while still existent, had reduced noticeably.

'Shut up, you stupid horse!' Was his reply. All he heard was maniacal laughter before Hichigo decided he was content. Although he would never admit it, that brief pep talk had made him forget about his nervousness.

When he finally entered the barracks, Ichigo noted that 10 captains were flanked on either side of Head-Captain Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Looking around, something, or someone to be specific, caught his eye. He noticed Yoruichi Shihoin, in a Captain's haori. For their service in the Winter War, Yoruichi, along with Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, and the Vizards, had their banishment repealed, although it was believed that they didn't plan on living within, or working for, the Seireitei. He'd figure that it would be explained during the meeting.

Yamamoto made his presence known.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, step forward."

"Normally when one wishes to join the Gotei 13, they must graduate from the academy and be accepted into one of the 13 squads. You are a special case, being a shinigami for such a short amount of time, yet proving your worth time and again. You have been nominated by some of the finest captains in the Gotei 13, and I shall honor their decision. However, should you pose any threat to the Gotei 13, Soul Society, or the world of the living, I _will_ personally dismantle you. Do you wish to proceed?"

"I do, Head-Captain." Ichigo responded, fighting the urge to call him gramps.

After Ichigo was through with the formalities of the promotion ceremony, he was given his captain's haori with the symbol for Squad 3.

"Congratulations, captain Kurosaki." Yamamoto added solemnly. "You may now choose your lieutenant, as lieutenant Kira has already transferred over to Squad 6."

Ichigo now realized that he had nobody to choose for lieutenant. His first choice would have been Rukia, but seeing as she was already taken by Renji when he had been promoted to captain of Squad 5, he had to reconsider. Said red-head was giving him a congratulatory look. He couldn't think of anyone who would be willing to fill the job without causing outrage throughout the Seireitei.

"Head-Captain, I do not have a choice made for my lieutenant, may I be granted some time to think about it?" the new captain asked of the old one.

"You may, but it is recommended that you decide sooner rather than later due to you being required to fulfill the duties of both yourself and your lieutenant in the meantime." Yamamoto answered. "Now take your place among the captains, captain Kurosaki."

Ichigo complied and stood next to Yoruichi, who was smirking at him as usual. "Wow, Ichigo, you grow up so fast. You're the youngest captain in the history of the Gotei 13."

"Yeah well I- wait, why are you dressed up like at captain, and attending a captain's meeting? I thought-" But before he could finish, Yamamoto called the captains to attention.

"Today, we have made changes concerning the leadership of Squad 2. Currently, captain Soi Fong has been relieved of her position as leader of that division, as well as the Onmitsukido, and for now has been replaced by Yoruichi Shihoin."

'Yoruichi has some explaining to do, after this meeting is over at least.' Ichigo thought to himself.

"As far as disciplinary actions go, this morning captain Shihoin suggested that she be demoted to lieutenant of Squad 3."

"What!?! She can't be my lieutenant!" Ichigo remarked rather loudly. He just became a captain; he didn't want to die yet. After the Winter War, the young war hero had become personally acquainted with the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13. After Yoruichi used her "ways" to convince him into meeting her previous protegee, to say his meeting with the petite captain was less-than-friendly was an _immense_ understatement.

Normally, Yamamoto would have disciplined anyone so rude on the spot, but seeing as it was Ichigo's first time, he chose to let it slide. "Why not, captain Kurosaki? Clearly you have no lieutenant of your own in mind, and having a captain helping you to adjust to your duties should be invaluable for someone who just joined the Gotei 13."

"As an added plus, Squad 4 is right next door, so you shouldn't worry about injuries." Retsu Unohana added, with a smile on her face. She made a mental note to prepare for frequent visits by members of the third division, as well as their captain.

"Fine, but how long will she be serving as my lieutenant?" Ichigo asked, acknowledging his defeat.

"As long as it is deemed necessary, captain Kurosaki."

"One more question," he uttered. "Will I be able to return to the world of the living?"

"Yes, you will have the privilege of visiting the world of the living for a set amount of time, regarding the fact that the action is cleared with the Seireitei. Dismissed," the aged Head-Captain announced, and the meeting had come to an end.

"Captain Kurosaki, if I may have a moment of your time." the Head-Captain spoke up.

After the room was cleared, save the two who stayed behind, the elderly shinigami chose to press on. "As you know, all captains are required to have some knowledge of Kido. While you're skills in Hakuda and Hoho leave something to be desired, they are proficient enough for your position. However, you must eventually learn to use Kido at the very least expert level to retain your title. Do you understand?"

Ichigo knew it was coming. While he wasn't a Kido type, he knew that it was needed for the job. He realized that there were certain advantages of learning Kido, such as being able to heal others. He accepted the fact that he still had a lot to learn, but something popped into his head.

"Who will be teaching me Kido, and for how long?" Yamamoto remained stern as ever.

"I have organized for captain Unohana to teach you for now, and from what i'm told, it shouldn't be very long. You will be verified when your requirement has been fulfilled."

"Thank you, Head-Captain." The orange-haired captain left the barracks to look for his old mentor.

* * *

Ichigo was searching for Yoruichi after he was free. Luckily for him, she wasn't hard to find. He found her in the second division barracks, apparently through with reintroducing herself to her squad. From the look on her face, the leader of the Onmitsukido had been expecting him.

"Okay, what happened that put Soi Fong in this situation?" Ichigo asked Yoruichi, who looked away. Clearly she wasn't happy to be replacing her.

"I'll tell you, but not here. We need to head to the secret training ground, I'm not supposed to tell you, or anyone for that matter, but you should know." Yoruichi said in an urgent tone.

With that, both captains went to their destination.

* * *

Soi Fong lay in wait in her detention cell, waiting for the verdict that would decide her punishment. She felt a pang of regret for what she did, and hoped that Lady Yoruichi didn't look down on her for it. Just as she was about to reminisce, her gatekeeper approached her.

"Captain Soi Fong, the punishment for your crimes has arrived. Until further notice, you are demoted to lieutenant of Squad 3." And with that, she was let out. Already stripped of her captain's haori, she was given the lieutenant's armband for the third division. Taking it with disdain, the demoted captain strapped it around her waist, knowing that Flash Cry would blow it off her arm.

After leaving her prison, Soi Fong then turned to find Yoruichi and her "temporary superior" who, Soi Fong believed, would soon find out who wore the pants in the third divison.

* * *

After a quick race, which Ichigo lost, followed by a game of tag, a game that Ichigo won only by using his hollow powers, and quite a bit of teasing on Yoruichi's part, both captains were relaxing in the hot springs. While it irritated the new captain that Yoruichi would try to flash him, it didn't bother him now nearly as much as it did when he was fighting against the Gotei 13.

Returning to the place he learned Bankai, the orange-haired shinigami reminisced about his adventures when he was younger. He recalled fighting hollows alongside Rukia, fighting Aizen and his Espada, and storming the Seireitei. He was amazed when he saw so much had changed since that night when he met Rukia.

"I like the more mature you, Ichigo. This makes it so much easier to have a conversation." The purple-haired captain told him. "I can still remember the hilarious look on your face back when you were such a prude."

"I didn't come here to ogle you, Yoruichi." Ichigo stated coolly. "About Soi Fong..."

"Well, it happened last week..."

_Flashback:_

_Soi Fong had finished her paperwork and was ready to retire for the day. After drilling the men to new limits, she felt proud of herself. Before she could rest, a Squad member entered her office._

_"Captain Soi Fong, Captain Kurotsuchi has sent word that your package is ready." The man said._

_"I will see to it at once. Dismissed."_

_Once the petite captain made her way to the Twelfth division barracks, she was greeted by Nemu Kurotsuchi, who stated that the captain was busy discussing "future test subjects" which earned her a look of disgust from the well-mannered captain. After Nemu turned to leave after Mayuri had called for her, Soi Fong prepared to retire for the evening, but she overheard something that piped her interest._

_"So the way I see it, we just need to convince her to transform into her cat form, knock her unconscious, and restrain her, and we can study how she shape shifts."_

_"Hm, Yoruichi Shihoin would be a great boon to the Research Institute. Think of the possibilities! We just need to find a plausible excuse and to avoid detection..." This man, she was sure, was the infamous Mayuri Kurotsuchi himself. How dare he plan on doing such malicious things to lady Yoruichi? This, combined with the stress she had today, tipped her over the edge._

_"Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!" and with that, Soi Fong had bolted straight into the barracks with the intent of murdering that twisted scientist once and for all._

_Unfortunately, Mayuri is quite perceptive, and as soon as he sensed Soi Fong's Shikai, he prepared for it, and evaded her assault. The petite captain attacked furiously, but failing to strike the grinning maniac. Soon enough, captains Jushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyoraku appeared to end the quarrel, barley restraining Soi Fong._

_End Flashback_

"...and she's been in the detention cell ever since."

This was unexpected for Ichigo. For someone so uptight and law-abiding as Soi Fong, he'd never in a million years expect her to break the law. Despite that, he knew where she was coming from, seeing as how protective of Yoruichi she was. 'She must be in love with Yoruichi,' he thought. "I sort of feel bad for her, but she could have at least gone to you and talked about it. I think we both know that you could have outmaneuvered Mayuri."

"I don't need your pity, captain Kurosaki."

Both captains turned to face Soi Fong, who was looking at the newer one with disgust. While Ichigo was surprised and turned away from her, Yoruichi was not, giving her a smug look.

"Why hello there, my little bee. Couldn't resist meeting the new captain of Squad 3, could you?"

Soi Fong gave her a look filled with confusion, embarrassment, and rage. "Lady Yoruichi, I was merely ensuring that _captain_ Kurosaki wasn't taking advantage of you." It was then that she finally noticed that both the goddess of flash, and the soon-to-be new outlet of her aggression, were in the hot spring, dressed immodestly. She turned bright red, but chose to conceal it with anger.

"HOW DARE YOU, KUROSAKI! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" That was all Ichigo heard before narrowly escaping the crazy woman. Unbeknown to him, and the rest of the world save the goddess of flash herself, Soi Fong actually wasn't in love with Yoruichi in a romantic sense, or lesbian at all, she was merely her biggest fan, and would kill for the chance to get closer to her.

'This is better than I thought it would be.' Yoruichi thought. 'Wait until Kisuke hears what else I have planned, if he got a kick out of this, it should tip him overboard.'

* * *

After a few hours of an orange-haired captain being chased around the secret training ground, in nothing but a towel, by his new lieutenant, Ichigo calmed down and pulled on his Shihakusho. Soi Fong, however, was still watching him intently, daring him to make a mistake.

"Look," he began, "Since you're my new lieutenant..."

"If you think that rank gives you any semblance of authority over me, than you are mistaken." Soi Fong had decided to interject. "Let's get one thing straight: we don't like each other. The only reason that I am a lieutenant is because that bastard Mayuri was planning on doing something malicious to lady Yoruichi. Never forget the fact that I could kill you in an instant. Do you understand?"

Ichigo gulped and nodded. "Good, i'm glad we could agree on something. Now if you will excuse me, I will be heading off."

"And where would you be heading off too, my little bee?" Both parties had realization dawned on them that their resident shape shifter was listening to the entire conversation.

"L-lady Yoruichi! I..."

"The third division is aware of Ichigo's promotion, but it has no clue as to it's new lieutenant." The goddess of flash grew her Cheshire grin. "You're going to need your new 'superior' more than you think, unless being the commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukido isn't that big of a deal..."

"L-lady Yoruichi, please forgive me, I promise that I will behave." The braided lieutenant admitted begrudgingly.

"It's getting late, we should get back to the third division barracks. I want to introduce myself to the squad before dark." The youngest of the three finally stated. With that, the duo were off.

When it was clear that they were outside the training ground, Yoruichi sighed. "You can come out now, Kisuke." Suddenly, a blonde man, draped in a green garment and green and white stripped hat, stepped out with a fan covering his face.

"Well well, Yoruchi, I see your scheme is coming together quite nicely. I didn't think Seireitei would demote one of its captains, the leader of the Onmitsukido no less. So now that getting _her_ to cooperate with Ichigo has been a _great_ success, what do you plan to do now?"

"An idea popped into my head during their 'confrontation.' If it works out for the better, not only will Soi Fong calm down, but she won't feel so obsessive over me." The purple-haired noble told her old friend.

"I'm all ears, i'm dying to know." Urahara replied while fanning himself.

* * *

A/N: This is my first story, so please review.


	2. Chapter 2

I want to thank everyone that reviewed. I wasn't expecting such positive replies.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any of its characters.**

* * *

As they left the training ground, both Ichigo and Soi Fong finally realized how long they had been "having fun." The sun was starting to set, and they both knew that if they wanted to get the entire division in one place, they had to move quickly, and chose to flash step to their destination. He turned to see his temporary lieutenant lagging behind him, obviously not enjoying her predicament. When this occurred to him, the new captain had an idea. He moved next to her, and went through with his plan.

"Hey Soi Fong, since its getting late and we're in a hurry, how about we race to the barracks?"

"What for, Kurosaki? I don't see the point in it at all." Surely he knew that she was leaps and bounds beyond him in speed. She was aware of his bankai, because it boosted his speed beyond that of flash steps, and that his Vizard powers made him even faster, but he was not allowed to use such abilities within the Seireitei in times of peace.

"Well, if it were Yoruichi…" That was all she heard before the senior Shinigami snapped. He saw her scurrying to the third division.

Once she was out of earshot, Ichigo chuckled. He promptly sped after his lieutenant, not quite as fast, but close. 'That should speed up the trip. I just hope she meets the division before I do. I don't want to lose anyone on my first day.' He found her waiting for him, standing outside the grounds. "Okay, you win. I owe you one."

The detained leader of the Onmitsukido wasn't phased one bit. "You knew that I am faster than you. You tricked me into moving faster by taking advantage of my weaknesses. I'm impressed." Before she could say anymore, both Shinigami heard a commotion coming from a dozen third division members.

One of the bolder members stepped forward. She had white hair that stretched down below her shoulders, turquoise eyes, and a startled expression. "Captain Soi Fong, we weren't expecting you. We were waiting anxiously for our new captain and," but before she could finish, Ichigo chose to speak up.

"Waiting for me, were you? Ichigo Kurosaki, recently appointed captain of Squad 3, a pleasure to meet you." He greeted her with the most pleasant expression that he could give.

"Please forgive me, captain. Kiyomi Hitsugaya, third seat of Squad 3. Are you aware of why captain Soi Fong is here?"

The orange-haired captain briefly glanced at said "captain" and sighed. "That's something I plan on explaining to the division. I need you to gather the rest of the division in front of the barracks so I can properly introduce myself."

"Yes, captain." Kiyomi responded. She then turned to the rest of the crowd, stunned by their new captain's sudden arrival, and they spread out to tell the rest of the division.

'I never knew Toshiro had a sister.' He thought. 'Well, this is probably the tip of the iceberg.' While he was taking in the area for what it's worth, Ichigo's tranquility was broken by a certain horse.

"**King, it's a good thing you aren't in comedy.**"

But before he could shoo off his inner hollow, who was laughing manically at the situation, the captain's thoughts were interrupted by his third seat. "Captain Kurosaki, the squad has been assembled. They are waiting for your announcement."

"Thank you, Kiyomi." He then motioned for Soi Fong to follow him, who had a look of contempt on her face that screamed 'don't push it.' He stood in front of the crowd, which appeared to be close to 250 strong. He silenced the murmurs with his voice.

"Hello, I am Ichigo Kurosaki, and from this point on I shall be your captain." The crowd promptly cheered for him, finally having a legitimate captain for the first time in years. "Now, this being my first time in the third division, I will need to adjust to some things, and I would appreciate your cooperation in doing so. You are also probably wondering why "captain" Soi Fong is accompanying me. Due to some of her actions, and the recommendation of another captain, she will be fulfilling the duties as my lieutenant until further notice."

The congregation of Shinigami had then began to murmur until their captain broke the silence. "I fully expect that you, at the very least, treat her with the same respect as you would give me." With nothing more to add, the orange-haired Shinigami walked over to his third seat.

"If you don't mind, I shall lead you and lieutenant Soi Fong to your quarters." When both captain and lieutenant were out of earshot, rumors started to spread.

* * *

After taking a tour of the division, Kiyomi had led Ichigo and Soi Fong to the captain's quarters. "This is where you will be sleeping."

Ichigo, tired from "bonding" with his new "subordinate," let out a yawn. "I assume you'll be leading Soi Fong to her room?"

"Actually," Kiyomi's began to grow nervous, "ever since lieutenant Kira had a drinking accident in his quarters, the room has been an uninhabitable mess. F-forgive me captain, lieutenant, but you will need to share a room until it's fixed."

The orange-haired captain's eyes bulged out his sockets and looked terrified, while the raven-haired lieutenant appeared furious at the notion of sharing a room with him. She spoke for the both of them for the most part when she yelled "YOU EXPECT ME TO SHARE A ROOM WITH HIM!?!"

"I-I'm sorry, but we have no alternatives. Lieutenant Kira never bothered to attempt to clean it out until he was reassigned." The white-haired woman admitted.

'Note to self: kill Kira later' both occupants of the room thought in unison.

After both of her superior officers entered the room, the third seat bid farewell. "You needn't worry about paperwork tonight, it will be sent to you tomorrow morning."

* * *

The room wasn't as bad as Ichigo originally thought. It was more spacious than his bedroom in the world of the living, and many of his personal belongings had been moved into it. The bed was modest, but strangely enough, it was rather big for one person. He also noted that Soi Fong's belongings had been moved in as well. Before she could speak, Ichigo clarified what was running through her thoughts.

"You take the bed; I'm sleeping on the couch."

"So you read minds, Kurosaki,"

"Ichigo," he stated.

"Fine, Ichigo, what else can you do that I don't know? You're _quite_ the gentleman." She continued, trying to provoke him.

Ignoring her jab, said man was already on the couch. He wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.

* * *

The sound of metal hitting metal filled the fifth division grounds. Both combatants were dead-set on perfecting themselves, and were working on Zanjutsu. After fighting for a good while and getting nowhere, both chose to release their Zanpakuto.

"Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens, Hyorinmaru!" A large dragon of ice spewed forth, engulfing the surroundings of its wielder.

"Howl, Zabimaru!" A long, whip-like sword with teeth on its blade replaced the normal katana it was moments before.

Both fighters proceeded to attack with their Shikai. The wielder of Zabimaru had dodged a particularly vicious strike from the ice dragon, and backed off onto the rooftops. Hyorinmaru gave chase, eventually leaving the fifth division grounds altogether. The battle spread as far as the third division barracks

"Tensu Jurin!" Hyonrinmaru had then caused a snowstorm to engulf the immediate vicinity. An old man with a staff, flanked on his left and right by a tall man with long, white hair, and a flamboyantly dressed man who appeared tired.

"That's enough, you two. Stop now before I have to put you down."

"Yes, Head-Captain." Both Toshiro Hitsugaya and Renji Abarai said in unison, and sealed their Zanpakuto.

* * *

Someone must really have it out for him, Ichigo thought, because somehow it was snowing, and he was freezing. Curse his chivalric nature, he thought, because with the only blanket in the room on the bed, mentioning the couch as slightly cool was an understatement.

While he was contemplating his luck, Soi Fong was also having trouble coping with the sudden drop in temperature. She tried everything she could think of to keep warm, but with the limited items in the room, her options were limited. 'I think I've run out of options…' While she was thinking that, her eyes turned to the couch. 'No! I'll never resort to that.'

A strong gust of wind flew in through the window in the raven-haired Shinigami's direction. 'I'll admit its cold, but I'm not that desperate.' Just as she was thinking it couldn't get any worse, snow started falling through the window and into the room. 'Nobody will ever hear of this. Ever.'

"Ichigo," the lieutenant called out, "wake up!" No response. "Ichigo!" she called out, a little louder this time. "ICHIGO!" She yelled into his ear.

"No… get off of me old man… five more minutes…" said captain said in his sleep. Clearly he was dreaming about some 'old man' that he knew, probably from his life in the world of the living.

"Wake up, Ichigo!" Finally losing it, Soi Fong threw a punch aimed for his face. To her horror, he blocked it effortlessly. She tried using her other hand, but it was also blocked. What shocked her even more was that he retaliated with his feet. She had barley dodged his blow and jumped back. He stood up in a combat position.

They engaged in a furious bout of blows. The detained leader of the Onmitsukido failed to land a blow on him, and the orange-haired dreamer just barley missed her. If this kept up, she would be unable to end this without her Zanpakuto, and the thought of needing it sent shivers down her spine.

'I've heard of sleepwalking, but this is ridiculous,' she thought. 'Never has an Onmitsukido head had a target block their blow in their sleep. Am I really that incompetent as a leader?' Curiosity got the better of her. "Ichigo, I never knew you were a Hakuda master."

"Let me sleep you crazy old… wait, you never talked to me… about Hakuda…" Then, as if on cue, Ichigo yawned and woke from his dream. "Huh? Soi Fong? Is it morning already? What are you doing up?"

"I was trying to wake you up, but when you wouldn't wake up, I tried using force. You were sleepwalking, or sleepfighting, or whatever you call it."

"Oh, my father is the cause of that. He attacks me every chance he gets. He says it's to keep my skills sharp." He admitted. "Say, why were you trying to wake me up? Did you need something?"

At that question, the braided lieutenant looked away. "I noticed that you were cold, so I was… concerned for you."

The orange-haired Shinigami had a puzzled expression. "Why were you worried about me? I'm fine. You should be more concerned about your own well-being."

"I want to switch places with you. I want to sleep on the couch, so you should sleep in the bed."

"No thanks, i'm not _that_ cold." However, his words betrayed his body, which was shivering. "Anyways, I'm going back to sleep. I can tell that tomorrow is going to be a long day."

He had begun to turn around when he felt a hand on his wrist. He turned to see the woman looking at him with a worried expression. "I was thinking… that since we're both a bit cold… and that neither of us want the bed to ourselves... we could… to conserve warmth…"

Ichigo knew what she was thinking, and before he could react, she pacified him. "Please, Ichigo, meet me halfway on this. Nobody will ever hear of it, ever. Besides that, you owe me."

The captain sighed, knowing that he lost this one, and let his lieutenant guide him to his bed. Praying that it wouldn't have repercussions later, he relaxed while Soi Fong snuggled up to him. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, but he knew deep down that it would never work out. In hindsight, he didn't know why he felt it so improper, knowing that that woman would never hold any interest in him.

* * *

Morning came, and with it, new responsibilities that needed to be adjusted to. Ichigo felt comfortable and didn't want to move, but he knew he had to. Realization struck him when Soi Fong came into view. 'Oh my god,' he thought, 'Did I just do what I think I did?' Noting an arm around her, fear rushed through him when thoughts of what she would do came to mind. He thought that she looked peaceful when she slept, and it must have been rare for her to sleep for so long. Quickly, but not enough to wake her, he retracted his arm and attempted to get up, when a hand grabbed his wrist.

"Lady Yoruichi... don't leave me... please..." She spoke in her sleep.

With a sigh of relief, he gingerly freed himself from her grasp and pulled the blanket over her. He then looked for a change of clothing. Opening the closet, he found more than enough Shihakusho for one person, even Yumichika Ayasegawa. After entering the other room to change and returning, he found that his lieutenant had woken up.

"Rise and shine, Soi Fong. Did you sleep well?" he asked. It was incredibly rare for Soi Fong of all people to sleep in, and when it did happen, there was a good reason for it.

"You let me sleep in, didn't you Ichigo?" she accused, although with not as much venom as the day before.

"Well, it appeared to me that you needed it." After analyzing her attire, the Vizard then proceeded to question her. "Are you really going to wear that uniform? For the time being, you aren't the leader of the Onmitsukido."

"I may be relieved of my duties for the time being, but i'm still its leader. Besides, Flash Cry would blow off a standard Shihakusho." she remarked with a scowl.

"Well, at least wear this over it." The petite Shinigami was thrown a spare uniform. She reluctantly complied and adjusted to the new outfit.

As if on cue, Kiyomi entered the room. "Good morning captain Kurosaki, lieutenant Soi Fong. I have your paperwork." Much to her captain's dismay, she carried two enormous stacks of paper in her arms. She spoke up after placing the sheets on his desk. "I'll be on my way."

After the third seat left, they both sat down and prepared to work. After his introduction to paperwork, which he found annoying, much to his mentor's chagrin, realization hit Ichigo once again, but he figured that some paperwork should be done to save him from the wrath of Soi Fong. After about 10 minutes, he spoke up. "I have to go to the forth division. Finish as much paperwork as you want, i'll do the rest when I come back."

"Not so fast, Ichigo. You wouldn't be happening to chicken out of your duties, would you?" his lieutenant accused, sounding a bit off.

"Actually, it's an obligation that gramps is putting me through. I have to train with captain Unohana until she deems my abilities in Kido to be sufficient of a captain." He waited for confirmation from his lieutenant, however, that he was allowed to go.

"Fine, go have fun with captain Unohana, but I better not find out that you've been piling your duties on me." She threatened, almost daring him to tick her off.

"Thanks, but you should relax every once in a while, it's not healthy being all pent up like that." Having nothing more to say, Ichigo headed for the fourth division.

Once he was gone, Soi Fong sighed and starting pulling up his slack, and muttering something about a "lazy bastard" and "useless piece of trash." Without her realizing, a black cat had climbed up on her desk.

"Good morning, my little bee. How was last night?" Without another word, the raven-haired lieutenant dropped what she was doing and looked at her idol.

"Lady Yoruichi! It was... different." She trailed off, hoping it would be the end of the topic.

"'Different?' It must have been if you slept in. Did you and Ichigo,"

"No, we did not." She cut her off before any wrong ideas entered the goddess of flash's mind.

"Then why don't you tell me what did happen, then." Yoruichi revealed her Cheshire grin.

* * *

A/N: I hoped you liked this chapter. Please review, any constructive criticism is welcomed with open arms.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I'm glad that people like my writing style. This chapter might be a bit confusing, due to a flashback being retold in two different perspectives.

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Bleach.**

* * *

It was a rather fine day, Ichigo judged, until he reached the fourth division barracks.

When he arrived, Hanatarou Yamada greeted him and said that captain Unohana was busy, and now wasn't exactly the best time to drop by. Before he could react, Kenpachi Zaraki walked out of the barracks, with a sealed Zanpakuto and no eye patch. Upon seeing Ichigo, his eyes lit up with the sadistic fire that makes him infamous throughout the Gotei 13. He quickly made his way over to the young captain, eager to show off.

Curiosity got the better of the orange-haired man, and he asked the rather burly one if he had control of his reiatsu, after noticing that everyone within a kilometer wasn't on their knees forcibly. The response he got was the most famous grin in Soul Society and an unsheathed blade. To Ichigo's horror, the captain of the eleventh division had called out his Zanpakuto by name, and everyone, save himself and a pink-haired blob behind him, no longer possessed the strength to stand.

"Yay! Go Kenny! You look so happy now you get to play with Ichi!" The pink-haired blob spoke, which was identified as Yachiru Kusajishi, lieutenant of the eleventh division and her captain's adoptive daughter. Clearly, "Kenny" was enjoying the moment at least as much as he looked, but fortunately for "Ichi," Retsu Unohana stepped out of the barracks.

"Now, captain Zaraki, I wouldn't want a scuffle on the fourth division grounds, especially with captain Kurosaki. I wouldn't want either of you to be wounded." Unohana stated to the self-proclaimed strongest captain in the Gotei 13, who, unlike most of his division, wasn't fazed at her words.

"Oh well, I guess we'll have to wait for the tournament to pick this up. I hope you've been drilling your division Ichigo: I want my boys to at least get some enjoyment out of it." Those were the last words that came from his mouth before Kenpachi Zaraki sealed his Zanpakuto and walked off.

"T-t-tournament? What did he mean by that?" Ichigo was afraid: he was never informed about condoned carnage within the Gotei 13, especially when it was Shinigami against Shinigami in sanctioned combat.

"Every 10 years, the 13 captains organize a tournament amongst their ranks. There has never been much combat, because the first, eighth, and thirteenth divisions choose not to participate, the fourth and twelfth divisions aren't cut-out for real combat, and the rest are terrified of the eleventh. The next one is scheduled for next week." Unohana had explained. "Nobody will think of you differently should you choose not to fight."

"I'm going to participate in this carnage, if only to prove to that sadist, and the rest of the Seireitei, that I mean business, and that the third division isn't weak in the slightest." The orange-haired captain resolved to bring respect to his subordinates, and hoped it would get that maniac off his back for a while.

"If you don't mind, please follow me so we can begin your training session." Both captains entered the barracks, while Hanatarou tended to the wounded.

* * *

Before they knew it, both the third and fourth division captains were inside the latter's office. It appeared to be spacious and neat, which was good because the first lesson would take place in that very room.

"If you would please unsheathe your Zanpakuto and place it down next to you, we can begin your Kido training." Ichigo placed Zangetsu down beside him, and sat across from Unohana on the floor.

"I know you are anxious to meet the Kido requirement, but in order to do that, just like captain Zaraki, you must learn to seal your Zanpakuto and call it out by name. Should you learn to do that, your reiryoku will be under control, enough for you to learn Kido." She had explained it as if it was so simple, but Ichigo wasn't convinced.

"How long will this take me?" It wasn't that he detested the elegant woman in front of him: it was that, for some reason he wasn't able to explain, even to himself, that he wanted to be back in his office doing paperwork.

"Normally, it would take several weeks for the brightest Shinigami to control their reiryoku effectively, but," she held out a red orb. It reminded him of his invasion of the Seireitei. "Thanks to the genius of Kisuke Urahara, we have what he called a 'reiryoku sphere:' an orb that subconsciously sends coded messages into the brain of the one who holds it. This one is programmed to make your reiryoku control second-nature. He also told me that the idea came from something called the 'microwave.'"

Eager as always, the young captain received the orb. He saw it glow, but he didn't note any immediate effects. "How long does it take for this thing to work?"

"It should take a while. When it stops glowing, its purpose should be fulfilled. Is there anything that you want to do to pass the time?" She asked with a smile.

"No, nothing comes to mind." Unohana saw the depressed look on his face, and decided to try and help.

"Why the long face? Does it concern lieutenant Soi Fong? From what my division tells me, you two have a 'peculiar' relationship."

"I hope you aren't offended, but I don't see the reasoning behind opening up to you."

"Well, I remember reading something from the world of the living that stated that having another person listen to what troubles you can be of much help. If you tell me about how lieutenant Soi Fong came to know you, and your interactions with her, I could figure out what troubles her, and possibly offer a solution to your problem."

"Well, it started a few years ago…"

_Flashback:_

_It was a lovely summer day. Having been the first summer since the aftermath of the Battle for Fake Karakura Town, Shinigami everywhere were rejoicing. Ichigo chose to spend his summer in Soul Society, reveling along with his good friends. With Aizen and the bulk of his Arrancar army defeated, he could finally relax, but a certain shape shifter had other ideas in mind._

_"Hey, Ichigo, I want you to follow me to a certain place." She spoke up._

_"What for, Yoruichi? It's not like we have to prepare for another war." He couldn't discern the reason behind his mentor's sudden behavior._

_"We can't let ourselves get complacent, or we'll be vulnerable once again." Both of them took off to a forest below Sokyoku Hill. They found Soi Fong waiting for them._

_Ever since she had her armed restored by Orihime Inoue, the captain of the second division had been training profusely, seeing as her battle with the Segunda Espada was an "embarrassment" in her own words. After watching Ichigo's battle with Aizen, she wanted to prove that she was Yoruichi's "best pupil."_

_"Lady Yoruichi, I hope you realize now how terribly overestimated Ichigo Kurosaki is."_

_"You can call me Ichigo, Soi Fong."_

_"Why, are you annoyed, Kurosaki?" Judging that was as close as she was willing to go, he sighed. Yoruichi noticed this, and appeared to remember something._

_"Hey Ichigo, I think I forgot something on top of Sokyoku Hill, could you retrieve it?"_

_"Why can't you get your own things? What do I look like, your personal s__ervant?"_

_"Oh well, it's not like I needed a change of clothes anyway. I'm much more agile without them, now that I think of it…" Before she could say anymore, the substitute Shinigami was off. After reaching the top, he looked for whatever she was talking about. After a minute of searching, he found a purple parcel. Believing he had retrieved what he came for, Ichigo flash stepped back to the former and current commanders of the Onmitsukido._

_Being tossed her parcel, the purple-haired woman gave him a smug look, but he didn't know why. He also saw that her protégée was giving him a scornful look. The former chose to speak up. "Well, Ichigo, since you have the idea that you don't need to get any better, and that my little bee here is gun-ho about improving, you two will be sparring partners for the time being."_

_"Why should I train with her? I mean," but before he could finish, Soi Fong cut him off, grabbing his Shihakusho with one hand and pointing Suzumebachi at him with the other._

_"Remember this fact: I can kill you whenever I please, so don't underestimate me, ever. You may be the 'celebrated hero of Soul Society,' but you aren't immortal. Got that, Kurosaki?"_

_A gulp and a nod was his reply. He promptly left the two crazy women alone, having his perspective changed, and hoping to see the light of day after tomorrow._

_End Flashback_

"I assume that there is more to the story than that, captain Kurosaki." Unohana was perceptive of many things most people didn't even consider her to pick up, and she knew Soi Fong long enough to know that it took more than one meeting for her to truly hate someone, if Kisuke Urahara was an example.

"Actually, there is more. I just didn't want to bore you with the details." Ichigo admitted.

"Well, if you don't mind, whenever you come over to practice Kido, would you be kind enough to explain your experiences with lieutenant Soi Fong? Perhaps the problem is rooted in your training sessions." Looking down at the orb, she smiled. "Well done, captain Kurosaki. The orb has accomplished its task."

With a look of surprise, he looked down and noticed that the orb stopped glowing. 'Does this mean…' Figuring that there was only one way to find out, he reached for Zangetsu. He was shocked to find that it had reverted back to its sealed state: the large cleaver was replaced with a long double-edged blade in a leather guard, with a leather strap. 'Just looking at it brings back memories.'

He wasn't the only one who was shocked. Unohana was startled at seeing the sealed form. "In all my years, I've never seen a Zanpakuto quite like that one. Did it just… evolve?"

"No, before I knew the name of my Zanpakuto, Zangetsu was always like this. Now, you said I should be able to call it out by name." The captain across from him nodded. "Give me a moment to think, I don't think I ever used a release command for it." After a minute of thinking he stood up. "I think I have it."

Ichigo pointed Zangetsu to the wall on his left, took a deep breath, and put his theory to the test. "Protect, Zangetsu!"

Suddenly, the cleaver he knew so well replaced the brittle double-edged sword, complete with the rosary strap over his shoulder. Seeing as today's work was done, the orange-haired captain resealed Zangetsu, thanked captain Unohana for her help, and walked back to his barracks.

* * *

"So, do you still have a crush on him?" The cat asked in a sly tone.

"Lady Yoruichi, I do not know what you are getting at. I never once held any form of affection for him." Soi Fong said in a slightly upset tone.

"If you don't want to tell me the truth, that's fine, but you shouldn't be afraid to admit it." Yoruichi said, she was being serious this time.

Not wanting to answer her, the petite Shinigami turned away in embarrassment. 'Ah, she's confused. She just needs a bit of coaxing. Luckily, Ichigo, the fast learner that he is, will still need at least a week to meet his obligations. That should be enough time.' With her Cheshire grin, the current head of the Onmitsukido spoke again to her biggest fan. "Remember that day, back when I made the two of you sparring partners? I can remember it as if it were yesterday…"

_Flashback:_

_It was just before sunrise, and not a single man, woman, or child had stirred, except for a certain captain of the second division. Soi Fong was training profusely with Flash Cry to better master it, and she was slowly making progress. Eventually she was stopped by her former mentor, who was sizing up her progress. "Not bad, but you aren't going to get very far on you own."_

_The petite woman was stunned. "Lady Yoruichi, do you mean that you will be my sparring partner?"_

_Said woman shook her head. "No, but I have someone else in mind. He was a student of mine, and I'm sure that you remember him."_

_After a second of thought, Soi Fong immediately caught on. "But Lady Yoruichi! I can't spar with him! He's," but she was cut off._

_"He's faster, stronger, and overall better than you are. Plus, you couldn't kill him even if he was handed to you on a silver platter." Yoruichi knew her little bee better than anyone, and that said something, considering that she was gone for 100 years._

_Giving into the taunt, she finally snapped. "I'm positive that you're wrong, Lady Yoruichi. You give him too much credit, and I will prove it."_

_After their conversation, Yoruichi fulfilled her end of the bargain by bringing along Ichigo Kurosaki._

_The goddess of flash noted that Soi Fong froze. It was incredibly brief, but she saw it happen with her own golden eyes. Slowly she came to realization, and praised herself for thinking in advance._

_"Lady Yoruichi, I hope you realize now how terribly overestimated Ichigo Kurosaki is."_

_"You can call me Ichigo, Soi Fong." The orange-haired teenager in front of her responded. His scowl reminded her of the one she was known for._

_"Why, are you annoyed, Kurosaki?" Having seen enough, Yoruichi decided it was time to have a private chat with her little bee._

_"Hey Ichigo, I think I forgot something on top of Sokyoku Hill, could you retrieve it?"_

_"Why can't you get your own things? What do I look like, your personal servant?"_

_"Oh well, it's not like I needed a change of clothes anyway. I'm much more agile without them, now that I think of it…" Before she could say anymore, the substitute Shinigami was off. The goddess then turned to her successor. "I didn't think it was possible, but you've already taken a liking to a man so quickly."_

_Soi Fong was stunned. "Lady Yoruichi, I have no interest in that arrogant substitute."_

_Yoruichi didn't buy her response. "It's okay if you do, there's no shame for falling in love." Before they knew it, Ichigo was back with a purple parcel in tow. After being tossed her belongings, she went straight to the point. "Well, Ichigo, since you have the idea that you don't need to get any better, and that my little bee here is gun-ho about improving, you two will be sparring partners for the time being."_

_"Why should I train with her? I mean," but before he could finish, Soi Fong cut him off, grabbing his Shihakusho with one hand and pointing Suzumebachi at him with the other._

_"Remember this fact: I can kill you whenever I please, so don't underestimate me, ever. You may be the 'celebrated hero of Soul Society,' but you aren't immortal. Got that, Kurosaki?"_

_After a gulp and a nod, Ichigo left the former and current commanders of the Onmitsukido. Once he was out of sight, Soi Fong continued their conversation. "Even if I did somehow harbor some form of 'affection' for that arrogant brat, I wouldn't have a chance anyways."_

_Noting her sudden change in tone, the goddess of flash attempted to reassure her. "Please, what nobody realizes is that Ichigo Kurosaki wouldn't know love if it slashed him in the face. I doubt he's even considered seeing another woman. Don't be afraid to love out of fear of a broken heart. He isn't out of your league yet." Having said all she wanted to say, Yoruichi took off._

_End Flashback_

"You should have seen the look on your face when I said that, the way you went red was so adorable!" The cat was literally on her back, laughing out loud. Her companion wasn't enjoying being jabbed at, and continued doing her paperwork like a skilled secretary.

"Anyway, how good did Ichigo feel when you slept with him?" Soi Fong was a woman that never showed her softer side to anyone but her idol. It was no surprise to her when she stopped what she was doing and avoided eye-contact.

"Lady Yoruichi, I-I-I don't… it was cold… and neither of us wanted the other to freeze… he was so warm…" She had no desire to lie to the goddess again, but found it incredibly hard to accept the fact that, in a literal sense, Yoruichi was right. She looked down in shame, hoping the punishment for her actions would come swiftly.

"Don't feel ashamed, my little bee. Once you admit to yourself that he holds a certain place in your heart, go pursue the fool. Nothing ventured, nothing gained." The cat spoke sagely, enticing her listener with every word.

"I don't know, I still need to think this over." Soi Fong's reply was filled with confusion that hinted at her inner turmoil. 'I learned my lesson the last time. I can't afford to get close to Ichigo, no matter how much I want to.'

"Just don't wait too long, he may grow a brain and realize what he's been missing out on." After a chuckle from both women, the cat paused to make her closing statement. "One more thing…"

* * *

As Kiyomi walked by, she found a rather large crowd to the side of the barracks. Upon further inspection, there was a semi-prominent man preaching to his comrades. Curious as to what garnered their attention; she slowly made her way into the crowd and listened.

"Yes, shocking, but true! There appears to be an ulterior motive on the placement of our new lieutenant! What's also amazing was our captain: he is indeed the stuff of legend! Lo and behold!" The man unveiled a large poster that displayed Ichigo in a long flowing garb, holding what appeared to be Soi Fong clutching onto him, in a position that contradicted her character. Below it was a particularly controversial statement: "**Soul Society Beware! Captain Kurosaki turns Lesbian Straight! Seireitei's new Power Couple!**"

The third seat's eyes widened. "What are you talking about? How did you get this preposterous notion about our superiors?"

The man let out a sigh. "Ah, Kiyomi, you are as slow as ever. Where were you last night?"

"Last night? What do you mean?"

"I guess I'll have to repeat it for you…"

_Flashback:_

_It was tradition for the third division to pull a prank on their new captain the night of his promotion. When they realized that he had brought along a new lieutenant, who was also a captain, albeit a detained one, the hooligans got the idea of upping the ante._

_With a mob about a dozen strong, they made their way to captain Kurosaki's quarters. Just as they were about to open his door, they heard something that shocked them._

_"Ichigo… Ichigo!... ICHIGO!" That was all they heard before they jumped back in surprise. Although none of them knew why their lieutenant was screaming their captain's name, with the two of them sleeping in the same room, most of them had dirty thoughts as to what exactly they were doing._

_One in the group, however, was unconvinced. "It could be just a coincidence. I mean what are the odds? Let's listen for more before we jump the shark." The rest of them, figuring that he had a point, leaned their ears to the door in order to listen better._

_They almost had a heart attack when they thought they heard their lieutenant panting. Believing they had all the proof they needed, the group chose not to prank their captain, but rather to glorify him for his accomplishment._

_End Flashback_

"That is the most absurd rumor I've ever heard! The story is even worse! There could have been a million different things going on that night!" Kiyomi exclaimed with a hint of anger.

"Oh, really? Care to explain what happened last night on captain Kurosaki's behalf, hmm?" The man was sure that he was right, but his blood froze immediately after.

"What the hell do you want to know about my social life?" None other than the object of their conversation himself walked through the crowd. "I'm sorry that I wasn't here for a while, I was over with captain Unohana learning to control my reiryoku."

Ichigo quickly took note of everyone gawking at Zangetsu. Chuckling slightly, he answered what was on their minds. "Oh, I guess you never seen my Zanpakuto in its sealed state. Now, who was the one talking about last night?"

The entire third division was terrified. They didn't sense him coming, and from the look on his face, he meant business. Slowly, the crowd moved to the side, revealing the man holding a poster. Faster than anyone could notice, said man was being held up by his Skihakusho.

"What's that poster you have tucked under your arm? Surely if you were showing it off to my division, I should see it too." If the propagator hadn't soiled his pants, he did now. After handing over the propaganda, and seeing his captain's eyes widen, he felt a reiatsu strong enough to break his back. "How many more of these did you make?"

"I-I-I made o-o-one other, b-b-but I handed it over to l-l-lieutenant Matsumoto…" Ichigo saw that he had passed out, and he calmed down.

"As for everyone else here, if you find anything or see anyone who speaks of this rumor, it is your responsibility to personally remove it or clarify anyone who takes it seriously. Also, if you see lieutenant Matsumoto, or any of her friends helping it along, I fully expect you to confront them. In addition, I want the entire division to meet in the recreation center for a mandatory meeting, and bring your Zanpakuto. Understood?"

"Yes, captain." After the crowd had dispersed, the orange-haired captain laid a hand on Riyomi's shoulder.

"I could tell that you weren't involved, and I want to thank you." He spoke sincerely, which seemed to make her reassured.

"It was an honor, captain Kurosaki." She wore a large smile, which was good enough for Ichigo. As he walked off, she prepared for the session.

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. This chapter was a bit longer than usual. I appreciate your reviews. I hope to squeeze a good amount of chapters out of this story, and making each chapter a bit longer.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry if my updates seem random. I will try to upload a chapter a week, maybe two depending on the chapter.

**Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I do not.**

* * *

Soi Fong was still pondering what lady Yoruichi said before she left.

_Flashback:_

"_One more thing, no matter the circumstance, I do not want you to attack or lash out at any of your subordinates."_

"_But lady Yoruichi, what if"  
_

"_I mean it, Soi Fong. No 'ifs', 'ands', or 'buts.' Understood?"_

"_Yes, lady Yoruichi."_

_End Flashback:_

The door opened to the third division captain's office, and Soi Fong nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw the man that came through the door. She had the compulsion to rush over and squeeze him to death, but it took every fiber of her being and many curses towards herself to stay in place. Frowning as always, she sounded indifferent to her captain's return, which he shrugged off.

After a few seconds, she saw what was on his back, and was surprised. "What in the world is that? What happened to your Zanpakuto?"

"This is my Zanpakuto, in its sealed state. I've learned to control my reiatsu. Don't ask me how, but it was thanks to one of hat-n-clog's crazy inventions." Getting back to the matter at hand, Ichigo chose to speak. "Soi Fong, I noticed you were busy today. I never did get around to doing my fair share of paperwork today, so I'll do some later." Giving him a puzzled look, said woman didn't know why he had said "later."

"Why would you need to it later? You have the rest of the day to pick up your slack for your division. What could possibly be more important?" The petite woman in the room was hoping that lady Yoruichi was wrong, but after the response she got, she couldn't believe her ears.

"I need… _you_, Soi Fong. I love you, and I cannot live without you." The orange-haired man stepped on one knee in front of her, clasping her right hand in his. "I want to never leave your side, and I must know, will you marry me, Soi Fong? Soi Fong? Soi Fong!"

Immediately, she had snapped back into reality, cursing herself, and the fact that she knew that lady Yoruichi was right. Noting that he was standing on both feet, Ichigo repeated what she missed. "Soi Fong, I need your help in drilling the men. Seeing as you do the best job, I'd appreciate it if you were assisting me."

The raven-haired lieutenant was filled with different thoughts at that statement. The little "schoolgirl" inside of her was overjoyed at the fact of him wanting her company, the perfectionist was doing a victory dance at the fact that he acknowledged that she was superior to him in one regard, and the killjoy was suspicious as to why he needed her help. Finally choosing one thought to go on, she proceeded to ask what was on her mind. "Why do you need _my_ help? Surely you could do it yourself, while I work like your secretary. I don't see the point."

Soi Fong turned around, but felt a hand on her shoulder. "I'm challenging Kenpachi Zaraki and the lunatics that call themselves the eleventh division in the upcoming tournament." Her blood froze; he was in over his head. Yes, he had fought and lived against the sadist at full power once, before he achieved Bankai, but his squad wasn't filled with decent Shinigami. She had barley had enough faith to let Ichigo fight that madman alone, but the slaughter of an entire division of the Gotei 13 was something she couldn't let happen.

"You can't do this, Ichigo. There's no way that the men will be prepared in a week."

"I have faith in you, Soi Fong." Letting out a sigh, he turned to leave. "Oh, one more thing: there have been rumors circulating about our current relationship. I'm not sure exactly who it was that started the whole thing, but I'm positive it was some of our hooligans. What's worse is that Rangiku has caught wind of it."

Before he knew what happened, his lieutenant immediately flash stepped to his side. "I don't know who the bastard was either, but I don't care: those brats are going to get drilled like there's no tomorrow." In her mind, she made a mental note. 'Scratch killing Kira: lieutenant Matsumoto is dead.'

* * *

The entirety of the third division had congregated in their recreation center, as per their captain's orders. As to be expected, rumors were circulating through the crowd. Some were referencing the outburst the good captain had made in reaction to the propaganda. Others were discussing Kenpachi Zaraki's newfound control over his reiatsu. The noise intensified when the two leading members of their division stepped in front of them. After signaling for them to simmer down, the young Vizard spoke.

"It is good that you have all come. There is something I want to address…" Before he could continue, Ichigo was cut off by an unexpected surprise. Suddenly, various figures that he recognized as the captains of the Gotei 13 fell in. Answering the question on his mind, the Head-Captain spoke up.

"Greetings, captain Kurosaki. Captain Unohana has informed me that you have accepted the challenge set by Squad 11 in the tournament, and I have come to gain confirmation." After Yamamoto was finished speaking, the third division exploded into a noisy mess, which was twice as bad as before. The elderly Shinigami raised his reiatsu to make them shut up.

"I have indeed accepted the challenge of the eleventh division, Head-Captain." Ichigo spoke calmly, which sent mixed messages to his men. He was as surprised as his division when he heard what was next.

"Very well, however, you must prove your strength to that of your subordinates. Captain Abarai, captain Hitsugaya, you, along with captain Kurosaki, have the permission to use any and all of your abilities, but if any casualties turn up, it will be on your heads." Needing no more confirmation, Renji and Toshiro moved towards their opponent, who was looking at his division.

"Before we begin, I must tell my Squad something important. If you don't know already, I'm what's called a Vizard: a Shinigami that has obtained hollow powers. Don't worry: I'm not going to go rampaging throughout the Seireitei because of my unique condition." The orange-haired captain attempted to console the mass, and turned to his opponents.

"Howl, Zabimaru!" Renji spoke first, releasing his Zanpakuto knowing that he couldn't afford to hold back.

"Sit over the Frozen Heavens, Hyorinmaru!" Toshiro followed in suit. Despite surpassing him in seniority, he knew from experience that age didn't matter.

Seeing as they meant business, Ichigo prepared for the fight at hand. "Protect, Zangetsu!" After seeing the rest of the captains, save Kenpachi, prepare some sort of Kido barrier around the spectators, the captain of the third division waited for his foes to make the first move.

Renji lashed Zabimaru at him, which was quickly parried. Noting Hyorinmaru approaching from his rear, the Vizard unlatched Zangetsu and fired a Getsuga Tenshou, his Shikai's special ability, to cancel the blow. An exchange between the three soon followed, with Ichigo not getting a scratch on him; while Renji and Toshiro could barley keep up.

Looking down at the captains of the Gotei 13, he noted that Yoruichi was absent. What amused him more was that Soi Fong was also missing. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was up. The young captain couldn't dwell on it for too long, as he didn't expect the fight to reach new heights.

"Bankai!" His foes shouted in unison. A large serpent coiled around the captain of the fifth division, who had what appeared to be fur on his shoulders. The commanding officer of the tenth division, however, had a pair of frozen wings extending from his back. Hihio Zabimaru, and Daiguren Hyorinmaru, resceptively.

'It's a good thing that there's a lot of room,' Ichigo thought to himself. Fighting two captains at full power is not something that can take place in any normal building. The spectators, too, were thankful that there was much open room for their captain to "kick ass and take names," as one put it.

"Bankai!" Ichigo, remembering that his Squad had yet to see his Bankai in person, saw how awe-struck they were at seeing a small katana and black overcoat appear on the hero of the Winter War. "Tensa Zangetsu." Before he lunged into the fray once more, the carrot-top donned his hollow mask, if only to assure those currently watching him that there wasn't a disaster whenever someone sensed hollow reiatsu. Most, if not all of the spectators below the rank of captain, were intimidated by the sudden burst of spirit energy. Moving at a speed much faster than flash steps, he charged into the fray once more.

A fight between two released Zanpakuto was not something a Shinigami saw every day. A fight between two captains was even rarer. One could imagine the spectacle of not two, but _three_ captains, in their Bankai no less, fighting in a 2-on-1 battle. If there were any reservations on the ability of their captain before, the third division left them after seeing him fend off two captains at 100% without breaking a sweat. After a good exchange of blows, Yamamoto chose to end it.

"Stand down, captains. The preliminary ceremony has finished." After all three Zanpakuto reverted to their sealed state; the barrier protecting the crowd had disappeared. The third division was cheering hard for their captain, who gave them a sense of pride, and bragging rights with the other divisions.

Ichigo was straight to the point as soon as he sheathed Zangetsu. "Where's lieutenant Soi Fong? Or captain Shihoin?"

Right on cue, both women appeared through a hole in the wall, both in battered Onmitsukido uniforms. What was surprising was that the goddess of flash appeared to be unconscious and had an arm over her protégée's shoulder, who was barley able to move. "I… did it… Ichigo." Soi Fong promptly collapsed. Immediately her captain rushed to her side and picked her up in his arms.

The crowd broke into conversation once again. At least half of the Shinigami thought that they were hard of hearing, due to the fact that Ms. Manners called their captain by his first name. Others were snickering at the fact that said captain picked her up in his arms, and was so eager to do so. All of the rumors met the same fate when Yamamoto spoke once more.

"Congratulations, captain Kurosaki. You have proven yourself and your division worthy of participating in the tournament." The Head-Captain explained that it was merely a formality that was required of the event. He also told of the requirement that a lieutenant must also go through which was on comparable difficulty. "So that you know what to expect, the tournament theme is picked by a random captain or lieutenant. This year, my lieutenant is granted that privilege. I cannot discern what exactly you will be fighting in, but it will be divided into two parts."

'I wonder if it has anything to do with my book on world history he borrowed a few weeks ago and hadn't returned. I shouldn't dwell on it too long.' After giving a heavy sigh, Ichigo spoke up. "It's getting late; I should probably let my lieutenant rest. She earned it, after all."

"That is a wise decision, captain Kurosaki." A tall man with long, white hair, who was identified as Jushiro Ukitake, spoke. "I think we all need some rest, tomorrow is another day, as they say." All other captains followed him, with Kenpachi leaving last to give his orange-haired "buddy" the eye(s) before he left.

* * *

The door to Ichigo's quarters had shut, and after nudging his lieutenant, he realized that she was merely sleeping. He placed her in his bed and moved over to his desk. He figured that tonight would be one long night, and he'd rather be sleeping like Soi Fong. He noticed that she had done most of his paperwork, and what was left, he thought, was being done when he came in. Looking over at her sleeping form, the Vizard couldn't help but smile.

'She looks so peaceful in her sleep,' he thought. 'I wonder what she's dreaming about. It must be Yoruichi.'

However, the woman would rather refer to it as a nightmare.

_Soi Fong's Dream:_

_The leader of the Onmitsukido was looking over her men, who were being drilled like they always did. On this particular occasion, she chose to leave the Seireitei and into the wide open fields of Rukongai. As she looked towards the sky, a depressed expression crossed her features._

"_It's been 10 years, and lady Yoruichi is still gone…" The new captain of the second division had been so devastated by her mentor's disappearance that she desired to become strong enough to arrest the woman herself. However, what broke her out of that funk was something she didn't expect._

_Suddenly a katana was heading straight for her head. As leader of one of the most elite forces in Soul Society, she easily dodged it. When she attempted to grab it, the blade heated up and almost singed her hand before flying off to its origin. Infuriated, she gave chase and followed it into a dense forest. The katana had stopped fleeing, and rested in the hands of an unrecognized figure._

_The figure in front of her was a tall man with ruffled red hair, amber eyes with a hint of red, clothing that told anyone that he was obviously from the 1__st__ district, and a smug grin._

"_What do I have here? I send my Zanpakuto out for a little fun and I reel in a beautiful young woman, a captain no less?" The man was now laughing at her, which angered her even more._

"_A Zanpakuto? Impossible! It goes against the laws of Soul Society!" Attempting to arrest the man, she charged head-long towards him, but he managed to outmaneuver her._

"_I thought you captains were supposed to excel at flash steps, hmm? Or maybe, it's the fact that I'm so much better than you!" Cackling once more at the last part, the unknown fugitive easily evaded her._

"_This is not right! I'm a master of Hoho, and the leader of the Onmitsukido! There's no way you can move this fast! Who are you?"_

"_I'm Ryuu Takeshi, and it's a pleasure to meet you!" He suddenly grew serious and stopped moving._

"_How do you know so much about the Gotei 13, and how are you able to escape a captain-level Shinigami? This is madness!" Soi Fong stopped as well, ready to unload a barrage of questions._

"_Well, I have to be, if I want to escape the authorities. But you look like someone I wouldn't want to run from." At that last statement, the captain blushed and looked away._

"_And what do you mean by that? I could completely take you down immediately!"_

"_Well, for starters, you have yet to lay a finger on me and," he suddenly appeared behind her. "I could lay my fingers all over you..."_

_As if those words were a password, the petite Shinigami jumped and looked at him with anger. "You perverted outlaw! I'm going to kill you!"_

_The man, never losing his smirk, calmly replied. "Well, it would be a shame if I had to harm a pretty face like yours."_

"_Your arrogance will be your undoing, Ryuu Takeshi. Sting all Enemies to Death, Suzumebachi!" Furious at the man in front of her, she charged once again at him in a vain attempt to bring justice to the man._

_Noting after quite a while that she was out of breath, he smirked even more. "Out of breath already, are you?"_

"_Damn you, you bastard!" Soi Fong still had enough energy to curse, even if she couldn't move._

_All she could hear was the maddening laughter that drove her nuts, and she would be damned if she wasn't here tomorrow._

* * *

Soi Fong was moving uncontrollably in the bed. She wanted this nightmare to stop, but couldn't.

Ichigo was also worried for her. He had finished his paperwork and prepared to sleep, but he couldn't ignore her. Slowly, as to not wake her up, he went over to her side and hoped that she would be alright.

* * *

"_It's been a year, Ryuu, and I still can't believe that we're together."_

"_Well, Soi Fong, you're a lovely woman, and who could resist my unrivaled charm?" Ryuu spoke in the sarcastic tone that Soi Fong had grown used to._

"_If anyone ever found out about us, then our heads would be on a silver platter." She suddenly grew serious. To comfort her, he snaked a hand around her and pulled her close._

"_Don't worry my bee. This is our little secret." She tried to kiss him, but he pulled back. "I just remembered something; could you go fetch my belongings? I forgot to bring them with me. I'll whip up a special surprise just for you."_

_Not needing another word, the petite Shinigami dashed off to find his parcel. After a good amount of searching, she couldn't find anything. The leader of the Onmitsukido chose to explain to the drifter that his things couldn't be found, and if he did bring them, she would need a nudge in the right direction._

_Upon returning to their secret location, she saw her beloved, but he wasn't alone. Flanked on his left and right, two beautiful women were by his side, with one of his arms wrapped around each of them. Shock and confusion rushed through Soi Fong, and she tried to deny the obvious._

"_Ryuu I'm sorry but I couldn't find your belongings, but who are these two women that you are with?" The response she got was a grin and a cackle._

"_Well, my bee, I feel I should introduce you to Ayumi and Kiyoru, the only two women I actually love. Don't get me wrong: you're services were appreciated, but in the end, you were just a friend with benefits!" Now the two women that flanked him were laughing at her misfortune. "It was amusing to make you crazy about me, and became my personal slave, but I've grown bored with you. If you ask nicely, I might even let you have a goodbye kiss!"_

_The captain was now furious. After all she did, she was just a toy for that bastard. With every fiber of her being, she charged at him with the intent to kill. He effortlessly dodged and knocked her into the ground. After her humiliating defeat, she drifted back to the Seireitei with a broken heart._

_She vowed that no man would ever come close to penetrating her heart after that incident. This was upheld for over 90 years, until…_

_End Soi Fong's Dream:_

A loud scream filled the room. After the speech given by their captain earlier that day, the third division shrugged it off. Ichigo, however, was right next to the source of it. After seeing Soi Fong shoot up, he jumped back slightly in confusion.

"Soi Fong, are you alright? You seemed like you were having a good dream, so I didn't want to wake you, but I got worried when you were tossing and turning." He defended his proximity to her, and hoped for minimal damage to his body.

The response he got was enough to warrant a visit to a specialist to see if he was insane. He saw Soi Fong, the same woman who was leader of the Onmitsukido when she wasn't in trouble with the law, the same stoic, stubborn captain of the second division, tearing up in front of him. Instinctively she lunged for him and squeezed the life out of him.

If tonight wasn't out of the ordinary, then nothing was. Sure, the night before was unusual, due to Shaolin "cold-killer" Fong wanted him to jump into bed with her. But that was nothing compared to right now, which she was acting like a normal person. Ichigo thought that the only person she was willing to open up to was Yoruichi, and didn't know how to react.

As she cried in his chest, the young captain couldn't help but sigh. He patted her back and pulled her closer. "Let it all out, Soi Fong." Indeed she did. The Vizard let her cry all night long. He judged that either she was crying about everything that went wrong in her life, or that her nightmare was incredibly terrible on a whole new level.

* * *

After a good few hours, the lieutenant stopped crying and relaxed.

"Thanks, Ichigo. I hope it isn't too much to ask, but could we stay like this a little bit longer?" Indeed she felt safe in his embrace, and didn't want to leave. However, the man she was holding close was fast asleep. 'He must have been up all night. He's doing so much for me, maybe…'

Soi Fong reluctantly pried herself from his grasp, and before preparing for the morning, she was inches away from his face. "I'm impressed, my little bee. I didn't think you had it in you."

Out of the corner of her eye, Yoruichi was sitting on the window left open for her, as per request, with a wide grin. Her protégée immediately turned red.

"L-lady Yoruichi, how long were you there? It isn't what it looks like." This only caused her feline form to grin even more.

"It isn't? I stopped by just in time to see you leave his grasp. If we didn't have such an intense fight, I may have been over earlier. Was there something I missed?"

This caused the lieutenant to blush even more. Yoruichi chuckled.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, he obviously cares about you. Just don't make the same mistakes that some of his friends did. If you never take a chance when it comes by, it might never come again." The goddess of flash noted her biggest fan looking down at Ichigo's sleeping form. "What have you got to lose? I can tell that you've been trying to push him away, and if he doesn't feel the same way, then that settles that."

Noticing that the object of their conversation was stirring, the feline took off. 'I thought that this would take longer to reach this stage. I wonder what she was dreaming about. From what she tells me, she's never been in a relationship with another person. I'm going to guess that it was her memories of me leaving her again.'

The third division captain yawned. 'I had the strangest dream. Soi Fong was crying on my shoulder and telling me to hold her. I was probably more tired than I thought.' After preparing for the day, Kiyomi entered and dropped off the paperwork. The pile was noticeably smaller, and his lieutenant sprung after it.

"I'll handle this Ichigo. You should go over to captain Unohana so you can learn Kido." She spoke sternly and didn't look up from her paperwork. 'Also, so you can come back to me sooner.'

He left his office, but before departing the third division grounds, he called for Kiyomi.

"Yes, captain Kurosaki?" She was as enthusiastic as ever.

"I have already told Soi Fong about this, but I want you to make sure that the division is being drilled as to prepare for our engagement with the crazy hair hierarchy. By the way, how many in this division have learned the name of their Zanpakuto?"

"Well, besides you and lieutenant Soi Fong, there's nobody, well except for me, but I just achieved Shikai recently."

"I'll keep that in mind. Anyways, before I go, I want you and anyone that can help to wage war against lieutenant Matsumoto and her cronies. I don't want this reaching Seireitei Communication."

"It will be done, captain." After he departed, Kiyomi told the rest of the division what she learned.

* * *

Sensing for the hardest to find reiatsus so that she was sure she wasn't followed, Yoruichi made her way into the secret training ground beneath Sokyoku Hill. Waiting for her was a man in green.

"Well, Yoruichi, how is the operation so far? Do we need to up the ante?" Suddenly, a fan spawned from the man's hand, covering the lower half of his face.

"It's only been two days since they were made to work together, and from what I can tell, my little bee is coming to terms with her emotions. I think we should speed things up a bit."

"Will I need to schedule a confrontation with _captain_ Kurosaki?" Sarcasm, as always, snaked its way into his word patterns.

"Give me a bit more time with her. I'm sure that she's mentally unbalanced enough as it is. I got a great idea; in fact, I have a great idea about a great idea, Kisuke."

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter like the others.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I'm sorry about last chapter. I myself felt a bit lousy about it because I seemed to have rushed a few things. If Soi Fong appears OOC, believe me when I say that it will be explained later. I have the entire story planned out, and I want to add a bit of surprise to the plot.

I was also browsing FanFiction, and I found that the name "Takeshi" was already being used in another story. I'm currently debating whether or not I should change his name, but it wont matter down the road.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

* * *

When Ichigo walked through the fourth division grounds, he was greeted by Unohana with her characteristic smile. From the expression on his face, she could tell that something was on his mind. Instinctively, the moment they entered her office, they got straight to Kido. Not wanting her room to turn into a complete mess, the woman led him to a prepared section of her division.

"Before we begin, you should know that Kido spells are divided into three groups. There is Bakudo, or binding spells, Hado, or destructive spells, and Healing Spells, which my division is specialized in. Normally, to meet your requirement, one would have to master Bakudo numbers 1-60, and Hado numbers 1- 58, but after pulling some strings, thanks to the good Head-Captain, you will need to only achieve level 38 in Bakudo, and level 33 in Hado." She smiled at the expression that the young captain gave her, and anticipated his response.

"Well, I'm glad that's all. Kido isn't my style, anyways." After their brief conversation, Unohana gave him a run through with Bakudo, and later Hado. Although there were many failures on his part, after a few hours Ichigo had managed to master Bakudo numbers 1-6 and Hado numbers 1-5.

Anyone who hadn't heard of him mastering Bankai in _2 days_, when the method he used required _3 days_, with the alternative being _10 years_, would be considering themselves insane. The normal Shinigami couldn't have dreamed of accomplishing that much that quickly, even the great Toshiro Hitsugaya would have to commend him for his skills.

His teacher, and part-time shrink, however, was impressed. She knew that his advanced growth rate was unnatural for normal Shinigami, and took good advantage of it. 'This is clearly no surprise, but until yesterday, he had little control over his reiatsu. Perhaps he truly is a fast learner, or there is more to that sphere than meets the eye.' "You did a great job, captain Kurosaki, but you look like something is troubling you. Does it have to do with lieutenant Soi Fong?"

At the sound of her name, he sat down with the other captain and looked down. "Yeah, she's been acting strange lately. She's completely out of character, and I don't know why."

"Completely out of character, you say? Does it have to do with her calling you by your first name last evening?"

"No, it's a bit more than that. It's really complicated, and there are rumors being spread about 'us.' It perturbs me greatly."

"Maybe if you told me a bit more about why you think she disdains you so greatly, maybe it could be linked to the present."

"Ok then. It was back when we first started sparring…"

_Flashback:_

"_Come on, Ichigo! You don't want to keep a couple of women, both the current and former commander-in-chiefs of the Onmitsukido no less, waiting!"_

"_I'm coming Yoruichi. Not everyone is the goddess of flash, and I don't want to draw attention using my Bankai just to keep up."_

"_I never knew you wanted to be a' goddess,' Ichigo. Maybe that's why you're always a prude." Yoruichi chuckled a bit and quickened her pace._

_Ichigo, however, was flustered. "WHAT THE HELL, YORUICHI!" Immediately, he increased his pace as best he could. He had gotten up early today, due to the 'persuasiveness' of his mentor. Having skipped breakfast, the substitute Shinigami sighed and awaited his impending doom._

_Once he had caught up with the goddess of flash, they stepped within the confines of the secret training ground. Soi Fong was waiting for them, wearing her captain's haori, planning on a quick session. "Greetings, lady Yoruichi, I hope you've been well. Kurosaki, this will be over with soon."  
_

"_Come on now, my little bee, no need to be aggressive." Her former mentor's soothing words seemed to stop her somewhat._

"_Alright, Yoruichi, what do you want me to work on?" As the carrot-top said this, he pulled Zangetsu over his shoulder._

"_Well, your Zanjutsu is good enough, but I want to see you improve your Hoho, and maybe later, your Hakudo. I suspect that mastery of your flash steps will make your Bankai much more useful." Her reply got through to him, who just shrugged and turned to Soi Fong._

"_Well, I guess we should get started then…" As he spoke, his partner charged to him and knocked him off guard._

"_First rule of combat: never let your guard down." The captain of the second division pursued her target, discarding her haori, while her idol looked on._

_Blocking her next strike with Zangetsu, Ichigo attempted to outmaneuver her, but his flash steps were inferior. "Too slow," was all he heard before a haymaker collided with his cranium._

_Quickly taking note of the difference of power between them, the substitute entered Bankai. With Tensa Zangetsu, he could match Soi Fong's pace. She noted this, and entered Shikai, followed by Flash Cry. Although he surpassed flash steps in speed, she surpassed him._

_After several violent exchanges, most of which ended with wounds galore on his body, the carrot-top felt the need to don his hollow mask. This managed to halt the Onmitsukido chief's assaults temporarily, in which the untrained eye would describe as fear, but he knew she wasn't the type to be afraid, and was most likely analyzing the best course of action._

_After another volley of attacks, Soi Fong was the one to receive more wounds, but the hollow mask had already shattered. "Done already, Kurosaki? Well, I guess you aren't all bark and no bite, so I guess I'll let you spar with me, if only you can keep up."_

"_Heh, I'm glad you're whipping me into shape too, Soi Fong." After looking over to the entrance, he gestured to her. "How about we go find Yoruichi and take a short break. I don't know about you, but I need a moment to rest."_

_As the both of them headed back to their origin, both were shocked when they found…"_

_End Flashback:_

"Captain Unohana! Captain Unohana! There's an emergency by the ninth division! A group of third division members have unleashed a storm upon that place!" An urgent messenger, who hated to interrupt the captain's duties, stated his message as humbly as possible.

"Don't worry; it will be taken care of." With a nod, the messenger took off. "I'm sorry about that, captain Kurosaki, I'm sure your men are in serious trouble. I hope you run into them before I do."

With a grunt of agreement, Ichigo took off, not to stop his division, but to check on their progress.

* * *

"Gah! Help me! Help me please!" a panicked ninth division member spewed out before being pummeled into submission.

"That'll teach them! For the glory of captain Kurosaki!" A rather enthusiastic Squad 3 member shouted before reentering the fray.

Meanwhile, Soi Fong was searching for a certain flirtatious woman who was attempting to publish the rumors of "Seireitei's new power couple."

_Earlier that day:_

"_I'm sorry; lieutenant Soi Fong, but I cannot accompany you on the crusade to the ninth division barracks. I'm not feeling my best." Kiyomi spoke with sadness in her voice._

"_Very well, but I expect you to watch over the division while we are gone. This shouldn't take long."  
_

"_It will be done, lieutenant." The petite Shinigami signaled the rest of the raiders and went off._

_Currently:_

'Found you,' the woman found her prey: the buxom woman was making her way to Shuhei Hisagi merrily, oblivious to what was about to happen.

That shattered when a foot collided with her back.

"Oww! Watch where you're going, you stupid punk!" After turning around to the source, she smiled with a smug expression. "Captain Soi Fong! What are you doing here? And what happened to your haori?" She gave the other woman a suggestive wink.

"Lieutenant Matsumoto, I demand that you hand over any false propaganda referencing either captain Kurosaki or myself. Should you fail to comply, I _will_ resort to force."

"Oh, so you're already fighting his battles, _and_ taking care of his business now? What _else_ do you do for him, hmm?" After seeing the smaller woman's expression, Rangiku chuckled.

"You're in for it now, lieutenant Matsumoto." Soi Fong was just about to charge at her, when she realized something. "Where _did_ you put your copy of propaganda, anyway? If you made more of it…"

"Relax; I haven't made any copies of it, _yet_. As for where it is, well…" She pointed to her cleavage. "I think you can garner a guess."

'I wonder what _else_ she fits in there…' Realization smacked the demoted captain in the head and she fought back her feelings of embarrassment. "I demand you hand it over this instant!"

Knowing that she held her in the palm of her hand, Rangiku grew smug once again. "Why don't you come and _take_ it?"

* * *

'I sense my division fighting against the ninth, as expected. My condolences go out to Hisagi's men, and even the poor guy himself. A shame it has to go about this way.'

As he made his way through the Seireitei, Ichigo had been trying to lock onto Rangiku and Soi Fong at the same time. The former was obvious; the latter was for different reasons. 'During the day, she's antagonizing me, berating me, and making attempts on my life. At night, she turns into a pile of mush. I don't understand her at all, do I?'

"**Maybe it's that time of month, king."**

'Knock it off, damn horse. Oh, there she is, and how convenient that both of them are in the same spot. Oh my god, they're in the _same_ spot. I need to get over there, now.'

* * *

"Soi Fong, stand down, I'll handle this now." Ichigo had landed beside his lieutenant, who was not amused.

"Oh, so now you think that I'm just a damsel in distress, a princess like Rukia Kuchiki or Orihime Inoue, just _waiting_ to be rescued by a knight in shining armor? I'm flattered, _captain_ Kurosaki." Soi Fong wasn't planning on his intervention, and wanted to handle matters herself.

Meanwhile, Rangiku Matsumoto was in the background, trying to nudge her way to her good friend Shuhei Hisagi, but was stopped by an outstretched hand. "Just where do you think _you're_ going?"

"Come off it, _captain_ Kurosaki. That ludicrous poster is hidden in her… her cleavage. I'm not reaching for it, that's for sure."

"Well, I'd think that someone like you would _kill_ to explore a place like that…"

First their members, now their walls: the ninth division really does deserve condolences this day.

"I thought you were more well-mannered than that, _captain_ Kurosaki. Just like lady Yoruichi, I set my hopes much too high for you."

"Is this any way to treat your captain, even if he's temporary, Soi Fong?"

Suddenly, a bulb appeared above Matsumoto's head. She wouldn't have to back off to the side after all.

"You're no captain of mine, in public or private, you worthless piece of trash."

"You could have told me you were PMSing: it would have made this a whole lot easier."

Fortunately, and unfortunately, the third person, who the other two stopped realizing was there the entire time, made her presence known. "Well, it's good to see you, captain Kurosaki! I'd stay here and chat, but I have places to be."

"Hold on a second, you have in your possession something which is not only a highly improbable libel, but a defamation and desecration of both Soi Fong's and my own reputation. Would you please hand it over?"

The busty lieutenant decided that now was the best time to initiate her new plan. "Oh, you mean this?" She reached into her Shihakusho, doing her best to tease both onlookers as much as possible. She unfolded it to reveal the poster in all its glory.

"Yes, we will be taking it now." As Ichigo reached out to retrieve it, its holder had retracted it skillfully.

"Not so fast, captain Kurosaki. You're going to have to do something for me first." After seeing the look on his face, she continued. "Now I overheard you two lovebirds talking about you being her captain. Could you clarify it, for me, please?" Suddenly, her famous pout, the bane of all men, graced her features. Despite the years of experience he had, the young captain couldn't resist them.

"_Fine!_ Soi Fong got in trouble, so now she's serving as my lieutenant until further notice. Could you please hand over that, that _thing_?" Seeing as her work was done, she tossed the poster towards the duo and continued on her way to Hisagi.

"Here, you can have it. I know you want to strike it with Suzumebachi more than anything. I'm going to rally the division, and prepare an explanation for gramps." Ichigo was off in a flash. Soi Fong, however, was holding onto the poster for dear life. After deciding to fold and place it in her pocket, she followed.

* * *

"…and that's how I came into contact with that information!" Rangiku was as cheerful as ever.

"I can't do it, not only is the entire management team busy finishing up the magazine, but the repercussions involved in developing _this_ are just too much."

"Please, wouldn't you do this, for me?" Reaching into her "purse" she retrieved a large pouch of money, and her friend's nose bleed.

"C-c-come off it, lieutenant Matsumoto! Y-y-you know you can't bribe me with that!"

"Come on, you owe me after I payed for last week's night out."

"I'm not so sure, once they find out about this, they'll be after my head for sure! Having two captain-level Shinigami, especially the hero of the Winter War himself after my hide isn't how I want to spend the rest of my life."

"Don't be such a coward, you're their equal in the Gotei 13's eyes, or did _he_ steal all your resolve, _captain_ Hisagi?"

"Okay, I'll do it, but I'm not liable for this once they catch word." He spoke with fear in his voice.

"That's the spirit!" She reached into her Shihakusho and pulled out a writing utensil. "Now, let's change a few things…"

* * *

"…and that, Head-Captain, is why my division has declared war upon another." Ichigo stood proud and resolute.

"Captain Kurosaki, it has been two days since your promotion, and you are already causing a ruckus within the Seireitei. I cannot allow this to persist." While Yamamoto was thinking of a suitable punishment, Kenpachi stated his opinion.

"I have an idea," he said. "If he beats me in single combat, then let him be exonerated. If he loses, I'll end his life, since the Sokyoku can't break him."

Yamamoto's eyes widened briefly. "If captain Kurosaki agrees, then the punishment shall be trial by combat."

Ichigo was confident about this. He had fought and lived against the epitome of the eleventh division before he achieved Bankai, so it shouldn't be a big deal. Even though Zaraki had learned the name of his Zanpakuto, he couldn't be _too_ powerful. "I accept these terms, Head-Captain."

"Very well, the trial shall commence during the upcoming tournament. Your men will still be involved, but the only difference being that the stakes are higher for you, captain Kurosaki." The elderly captain took off, but Kenpachi stayed behind to say a few choice words.

"I saw the look in your eyes when your punishment was going to be our rematch. Don't get cocky; I have a few tricks up my sleeve, so underestimation will be your undoing. I expect you to go all-out on me, but don't forget your division." After he had nothing more to add, he also took off.

'What did he mean by 'tricks up his sleeve?' Yes, he knows the name of his Zanpakuto, but is that all? I better pay closer attention.'

**"He's not the only one you should be paying attention to, king."**

'What do you mean by that?'

**"You'll find out soon enough."**

* * *

When they returned to the third division recreation center, Ichigo and Soi Fong were given a hero's welcome by their division, who had all gathered there.

"I heard all about your assault. I wish I was there, you two were amazing!" Kiyomi had stepped out and given her captain a hug, much to her lieutenant's inner chagrin.

"Thanks," he pried her off of him. "Now, we should get started on your skills. I want everyone to gather into four groups based on what skill you are most proficient in, whether it's Zanjutsu, Hakudo, Hoho, or Kido. We will get started from there."

The third division did what they were told and split up. The largest of the groups was the Zanjutsu congregation, while the smallest was the Hakudo group. This surprised neither of them, as they planned for it.

"Alright, here is what we're going to do: lieutenant Soi Fong is going to help drill you on your Hakudo, and sharpen your Hoho at the same time. I don't expect any of you to learn the name of our Zanpakuto anytime soon, so Zanjutsu will be more lenient. Since we aren't facing big Kido users, it will not be given as much spotlight. Understood?"

"Yes captain."

"Good, now let's get to work."

* * *

Ichigo was glad that the day was over with. After getting comfortable in his chair, he sighed and dozed off. Soi Fong, having finished up the day's paperwork, was reading a book titled "The Aristocats." She thought the title was a bit strange, but it came from the World of the Living, and many strange things came from there, such as magical orbs that gave off light, machines that accomplished mundane tasks, and Orihime Inoue's cooking.

As she looked at her captain, she sighed and day-dreamed about lady Yoruichi. She didn't swing by today, and it saddened her. Although, she thought, her lousy lieutenant could be diverting her attention. The petite woman made a note to punish Omaeda later.

Meanwhile, the captain was thinking back to his flashback that was interrupted by the messenger.

_Flashback:  
_

_As the both of them headed back to their origin, Ichigo and Soi Fong were shocked when they found nothing. Yoruichi was nowhere to be seen, so they were alone together._

_"Where is lady Yoruichi?" She finally spoke up. "She has to be around here somewhere. She wouldn't abandon me again, would she?"_

_"No, I think she's just teasing us."_

_"So what do we do in the meantime? You're too tired to continue, so what can we do until you're ready for round 2?"_

_"Well, how about getting to know each other better?"_

_"Thanks, but I'm not about to talk about my private life to you, Kurosaki."_

_"Well, do you have something better to do?"_

_"Of course I do." She responded rather quickly. The substitute took quick note of this._

_"Well, besides day-dreaming about Yoruichi, what?" Ichigo knew he had her there._

_"Fair enough, I'll play along with your little game for now, but don't get any ideas."_

_"What are your hobbies?"_

_"Collecting anything that resembles a cat. I don't see the point of this."  
_

_"This may take a while…"_

_End Flashback:_

Before long, the captain had let sleep take over him completely, oblivious to what would transpire the next day.

* * *

"Sir, with all due respect, I request that you go through with this."

"Well, there seems to be a problem with the proportions of this thing. It has a brilliant design, I will admit that, but there's no way that everything will all fit in there."

"Is there any way to get around this?"

"Well, yes, we could wait until their numbers dwindle to a reasonable level, and then activate _this_." A remote control unveiled itself. "This will activate it, but due to the limited size, it probably wont be out for very long."

"I see, but there is another matter I want to clarify. The barrier enveloping it, will it be strong enough, especially considering _what_ it will be containing?"

"I could develop my standard barrier, but I can tell already that wont be enough. We'll probably need every single captain _and_ the Kido Corps just to stabilize it. Just to be safe, we will need all lieutenants and most of the officers above 9th seat to be on the lookout for any wise guys trying to make a move."

"I will make the necessary arrangements. Thank you, captain Kurotsuchi" Chojiro Sakisabe took his leave off into the night.

"Hopefully it gets that old coot off my back for a while. I never get quite enough time for my research. Oh well, I haven't gotten any interesting specimens since the Winter War anyway."

The mad scientist turned to his barracks, but a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Well, if it isn't my old third seat. I'm impressed: I knew you could do this due to the success of Fake Karakura, but this takes it to a whole new level."

"What the hell do _you_ want, can't you see I'm busy?"

"Well, from what you said earlier, you weren't going to do anything important, and I just wanted to talk."

"Fine, but you'll find that you still have a lot to learn, Urahara."

_

* * *

_

A/N: I hope I captured Soi Fong properly in this chapter, as well as the other characters. Even though I have mapped out in my mind how the story is going to progress, any input on anything that could be changed to improve the story is welcome in my book.

I also hope you don't mind fight scenes too much. I plan on going into detail on some of the skirmishes, so an opinion or two on them would be great.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'm glad that everyone likes my story so far and wants me to continue. I honestly didn't expect to get this far, and appreciate it. Some of the characters might be a little OOC in this chapter, so please forgive me. I haven't even gotten half-way yet.

**Disclaimer: The rights to Bleach are not mine.**

* * *

Today, as Ichigo would put it, started off much better. The primary reason for this was that, mysteriously, there was no stack of paperwork that needed to be done. Both he and his roommate were grateful for that. Soi Fong had explained to him that, due to the traditions of the upcoming event, their normal obligations were relieved up until the tournament itself.

As the young captain entered the fourth division barracks for his lesson with Unohana, he couldn't get out of his mind the unshakable feeling that Rangiku Matsumoto had something planned, but shrugged it off.

Unohana, who was waiting for him, gave her usual motherly smile and prepared for the Kido about to be cast. Impressed with the progress he made yesterday, she decided to up the pace. It was particularly grueling on Ichigo, but he had ended up casting Bakudo up to 15 without incantation, and Hado up to 13 without incantation. She was impressed at his progress, and mused that five people like him could wreck the Gotei 13, and then some.

After he sat down and waited for her approval, she prepared for their daily routine. "Captain Kurosaki, from what you tell me, you are, as they say, 'beating around the bush.' I think you are hiding something, and if you are, I prefer you would tell me now."

"Well, honestly, I would be skipping some stuff, but in my opinion, what happened went like this…"

_Flashback:  
_

"…_You're never going to master Hakudo if you don't hit me harder, Kurosaki!" Soi Fong ducked under his blow and retaliated, causing him to be knocked back._

_It had been a little over a year since they had been sparring together. Ichigo may have had obligations in the world of the living, but he spent his vacations in Soul Society. Their matches seemed to grow on him a little, and he eagerly awaited them like Saturday morning cartoons._

_Since they began, while his Hakudo still left something to be desired, his Hoho became noticeably better, and he was almost as proficient as the captain of the second division herself. Despite the fact that Kido was foreign to him, he was becoming a well-rounded fighter._

_Probably the most startling facet of their sessions was the fact that he began noticing her. The more he saw her body, the more and more interested he was in her form. While she was petite like Rukia, she had a unique charm the latter lacked. In her own way, she was beautiful, but he knew that she was out of his ballpark entirely, due to the belief that she wasn't the slightest bit interested in members of the opposite gender._

_During their time together, he developed a few tricks with his flash steps. Despite the fact that he wasn't necessarily as fast as she, he could still pull one on her. She had barley blocked the blow._

"_Let's call it a break for now." She gave him her usual frown._

"_Why? I can still go on. I haven't even used my Bankai, and you've yet to use flash cry, so we're just getting warmed up."_

"_Fine, let's play a game." She grinned, obviously studying Yoruichi. "If you can catch me, we'll do what you want."_

"_Okay by me." In an instant, he was after her with renewed speed. He activated Bankai to close the gap, but she still managed to outmaneuver him. He wanted to avoid using his hollow powers, especially during a game like this, so he had to improvise. After continuous failures at catching his prey, he hatched an idea._

_Suddenly, a Getsuga Tenshou whirled its way behind Soi Fong, while another hit right in front of her. To avoid being hit, she had to alter her direction which gave Ichigo an opening._

_In an instant, the game was over, and the substitute had won._

"_Congratulations, Kurosaki, you win. Now let's," but she was cut off. It wasn't his words that cut her off, but she probably wouldn't have paid much heed to them. Neither was it his spiritual power that silenced her._

_It was his lips that came crashing onto hers._

_He had wanted to do this for quite a while now, but he never got the opportunity. He knew that if he just kept the feeling inside of him, it would never happen anyway. When he heard the way she phrased her proposition, he knew then and there that he would do it then. It was unfair, he had thought, that he would be taking advantage of her, and would come to regret this decision._

_What shocked him was that Soi Fong wasn't reacting to his audacious move. She wasn't trying to wrestle him off of her, nor was she making disgusted sounds or movements. She was just standing there, motionless. _

_After a few seconds, he released her. "S-sorry Soi Fong, I just, I just, I don't know…" Embarrassed at how he acted in front of her, he dashed off, which he would hate later on._

_End Flashback:_

"Well, captain Kurosaki, I think I see the obvious problem there." Unohana had sagely come to her conclusion.

"I wish it were that simple, but it's not. There's more to the story than that."

'There's more?' "I need to digest this information for now, captain Kurosaki. If you don't mind, please tell me tomorrow."

"I will, thank you, captain Unohana." As he left the barracks, Ichigo felt a small burden being lifted off his shoulders.

* * *

It was a peaceful day in the world of the living, and Sajin Komamura was enjoying his vacation. He was nearly undistinguishable, due to the fact that he had taken on a Gigai resembling an Akita. Although he couldn't view everything, he still enjoyed the sights and sounds it had.

As he rummaged through trash with local mutts, he noticed two strange-looking men walking the streets of Karakura Town. These men stood out, due to the fact that they were dressed much differently than the locals. Curious, he followed them.

After noting their conversations, it became clear that they were speaking an unfamiliar language. Although he picked up on some of their words, most were indecipherable. He followed them into a back alley, hoping they weren't up to no good.

They suddenly stopped and turned to each other. One took out an object, which resembled a dog, but had an object tied to its paw. "Yo dawg! This is a dog _walking_ the dog, dawg!" He let the object fall to the ground, but it stopped just for touching earth. It stayed like that for a while, as he extended his toy for the other man to gaze in awe.

The other man unveiled what appeared to be a dog plushy. "Yo dawg! We heard you liked dogs, so we put a dog _in_ your dog so you can walk the dog with your dog, dawg!" True enough, upon opening the toy, a miniature puppy could be seen on the tongue.

"Hey, 'dawgz,' this is a dog _talking_ the dog, 'dawg.'" The vacationing captain finally chose to speak up, trying to play along with these strange men who apparently knew how to talk to animals.

Both men turned to face Komamra, who was sitting down and wagging his tail. He didn't know why, but their blue leggings had just darkened, even though the particular area was covered by drooping, white shirts. "W-w-what was t-t-that, d-d-dawg?" The first one said.

"I-I-I don't know, d-d-dawg, but m-maybe it would be c-c-cool to bail." The other had replied, just as terrified as his 'dawg.'

"What, never seen a talking dog before, 'dawg?'" Komamura let out a sigh, and got up from his spot.

"Run, dawg, run! I should have believed the rumors when this place was said to be haunted!" Sure enough, both men had spilled out into the streets, and took off. They agitated many onlookers, especially when one had tripped over his pants, revealing his stained boxers. Upon closer inspection, they were at least three sizes too big for him.

"Crazy Americans," was all that could be heard from a local shopkeeper. The wolf-like Shinigmani sighed, and decided to see a dog show.

* * *

As he walked back to his barracks, Ichigo was flanked by snickers on all sides. 'That's strange, what is so funny? Did Mayuri get some of his makeup on Byakuya?'

As the gates to the third division grounds came into view, a familiar pair became visible. One had red hair in a ponytail; the other had short black hair, with a stay bang between her eyes.

"Oh hey, Ichigo, so have you been _busy_ lately?" The taller one was rather snide, obviously hinting at something.

"Well yes, Renji, you should know all about it, captains have tons of paperwork."

"Ah, so in the world of the living, you call it _paperwork_, eh? How much _paperwork_ have you and your lieutenant been doing?"

"Well, initially we had tons of it, but she ended up dominating it. Eventually, we had less and less, and today we didn't have any."

"Sucks to be you," this time, he was cut off by the short woman beside him.

"Idiot!" She spoke. "You actually believe that crap? What are the odds that those two would- oh I mean, Ichigo, you aren't doing anything with your lieutenant, are you?" While she was speaking, the short woman was beating on the red-head that clearly enjoyed his own sense of humor, alternating between outbursts of laughter and pain.

"What do you mean by that Rukia? What was Renji talking about? What would make you think that Soi Fong and I are doing anything?"

"Take a look at this, it was published this morning." She held up a flyer titled **"Special Issue: Smitten on the Seireitei"** by captain Hisagi. Curiosity got the better of him and he read down.

"**We bring you a special bulletin from our inside sources. As you are all aware, the charismatic captain Kurosaki was believed to not have his sights set on any woman until just recently. From a reliable source, we have reason to believe that he is seeing Soi Fong, who was recently demoted to his lieutenant due to bad behavior."**

'Rangiku,' he thought. 'We'll need to talk later.' He read on.

"**Lieutenant Soi Fong, who had been believed to have had her sights set on the reinstated captain Shihoin, shocked everyone by making public acts of her affection, as our reliable contact reported, to her captain. If he can do this to the most stubborn woman in the Seireitei, who knows what other wonders the new captain of the third division could work?"**

Ichigo wanted to stop reading then and there, but he wanted to read on, hoping that it was all a joke, and that the worst had passed.

How wrong he was.

"**Captain Kurosaki allegedly confirmed this, and from some reports, whole-heartedly. The only one even more ecstatic about it was his "lieutenant," who claimed that 'he's my captain, in public **_**and**_** private!'"**

Finally, Ichigo realized what Renji was getting at, and was completely flustered at how he handled it. "You damned pervert! If I wasn't so pissed at Rangiku, I swear!"

"Relax Ichigo, it's not like anyone's going to believe that Ms. 'anti-social' will ever let herself fall for anyone other than her precious 'lady Yoruichi.'" The now-bruised captain of the fifth division had attempted to calm his friend down, but what happened next would make that more difficult.

"What the hell, Ichigo! How dare you confirm such libel about 'us?' There isn't even an 'us!' You're in for it now!" On cue, the woman of their conversation appeared in front of the barracks, dead-set on axing her captain in front of the captain and lieutenant of Squad 5.

"We'll, you can spare us the graphic details. I hope you enjoy your 'punishment' you naughty boy." Renji knew what was coming, and was about to leave, but was stopped by the last thing he expected to hear.

"Bakudo number 9:_ Geki!_" Ichigo decided that now was better than never to apply what he learned over the past couple of days. It paid off, as the man covered in tattoos was engulfed in a red light, unable to move. "If I'm going to get it, so are you."

* * *

"Are you going to castigate him for this, Head-Captain? He attacked another captain, but,"

"Normally I would, captain Ukitake, but seeing as his Kido sessions have made such a noticeable effect on him, and so quickly, I feel that we should let him off the hook, just this once."

"Do you mind if I tell her, then?"

"Not at all, captain Ukitake."

* * *

"Ah! Attack of the angry housewife! Run for the hills! Save me! Save me!" Renji tried, and failed, to break out of Ichigo's binding spell. Rukia was laughing at his misfortune.

"Well, I hope you learned your lesson. If you excuse me, the fifth division needs at least one of us in one piece." She had walked away from the scene of the crime by the time Soi Fong was in earshot.

"I swear Ichigo; I can never forgive you for what you did to me! As for you," She pointed to the bound captain, who had been released from one binding spell, to fall victim to another. "Get lost: now, or i'll make you regret _ever_ uttering lady Yoruichi's name ever again!"

Not needing another word, he took off as if there were no tomorrow. Her attention was now diverted to the other captain. "Uh, Soi Fong, I can explain. I didn't plan on this happening, it was Rangiku."

"I don't really care anymore; I just want to drill the men." Soi Fong had turned to the barracks, and kept her composure. Ichigo, not needing another reminder, sped up to her and walked beside her.

* * *

"Greetings, captain Kurosaki. We were busy while you were gone. Our Hakuda and Hoho have improved noticeably, thanks to lieutenant Soi Fong." Kiyomi informed Ichigo of what was happening while he was out. Soi Fong had apparently overseen the third division go under intensive drills that were used only by the Onmitsukido. Despite the fact that she was no Kido master, and that their Zanjutsu paled in comparison to the eleventh division's, the petite woman's guidance more than made up for it.

As they continued to hone their abilities, captain and lieutenant were immersing in conversation. Although there was much berating on the latter's part, the former had grown accustomed to it, and after discussing his memories with Unohana, he felt guiltier for what he did.

"Their skills are superb, Soi Fong," the captain analyzed. "Do you think that they will be good enough in time? I have faith in them, but I never really got the chance to know them and what they can do."

"I'm not completely sure, their speed and strength are on par with them, and their Kido surpasses them, but their Zanjutsu…"

"I feel a bit guilty for putting such a burden on them: I should have waited and bonded with them before this. I promise that I will get to know them better when this is over with."

"That's admirable, Ichigo, but you need to remember that it isn't uncommon to lose multiple Squad members quite often. You should be prepared to lose many of them, so don't get attached to any of them."

This caused him to go into deep thought. He wanted to be able to protect everyone he cared about, especially after losing his mother to the Grand Fisher. Not feeling any guilt for losing anyone he came to know was completely out of character for him. Thinking about guilt made him remember something he wanted to get off his chest.

"Listen, Soi Fong, I want to talk to you about something…" Suddenly, an explosion could be heard from the rear of the room. The third seat had been on the wrong side of a failed Kido blast and was lying on the ground, covered in soot and coughing profusely.

"Kiyomi, what happened?" Her captain spoke urgently, showing so signs of taking Soi Fong's advice to heart, and cradled her head.

"H-hado # 31…" She had passed out soon after. The rest of the third division looked on in awe at the situation. Eventually, one of them had the idea of getting her over to the fourth division immediately, and a team of them took her away.

"Ok, that's enough for one day. It's getting late, so everyone can rest, but tomorrow, we are hitting the ground running. Understood?"

"Yes, captain!" The mass of Shinigami had dispersed, leaving Ichigo and Soi Fong alone. The latter had chosen to approach the former, who sighed.

"So, what did you want to talk about? I'm all ears."

"Well, I want to go to our office first. I want some privacy, after all."

* * *

The day was just about over, the sun just about to set, and most Shinigami were getting ready to either retire for the evening, revel in any planned festivities, or were just taking over for their graveyard shift. There were some exceptions, however.

A lone figure was hopping the rooftops of the Seireitei. While the figure in question was unidentifiable, all that could be made out was an odd blur.

Meanwhile, at the fourth division barracks, Jushiro Ukitake had chosen to give Unohana a personal notification of the event that had transpired earlier in the day. To anyone who didn't know her, she looked as if she expected his arrival.

"Good evening, captain Ukitake, what brings you to my office?"

The white-haired man sighed, and he took a seat opposite of the kind woman. "In case you aren't aware, captain Kurosaki attacked captain Abarai soon after he left your office."

The captain of the fourth division was aware that those two knew each other, but she didn't think that it would escalate into violence. "I see, but if it were a normal offense, you wouldn't have come to me personally, now would you?"

"Perceptive, as always, Unohana." He gave her his famous smile. "In this particular incident, captain Abarai agitated captain Kurosaki about certain rumors going throughout the Seireitei, and his response was Kido: Bakudo #9 to be exact."

Unohana's eyes widened only so slightly, and very briefly. "I see, he has indeed taken my instructions to heart. I'm proud of him. Would you care for some tea, captain Ukitake?"

"It would be a pleasure to have tea with you." The most, by the eleventh division's standards, terrifying captain of the Gotei 13 had taken out her tea and prepared for a long conversation with her good friend.

* * *

It had been 3 days since the request had been made, and the lieutenant's chambers had _yet_ to have begun to undergo restoration, not that neither captain nor lieutenant minded, but they would never admit it. Over the last few days, they had to make a few accommodations for their new quarters.

One such change was a Kido that Ichigo had leaned from Unohana, who picked it up from Hachigen Ushoda, which could soundproof an entire room. Because he had yet to master such a spell, it could only work on two-thirds of the room at any given time. He chose to leave the window-side and floor untouched, due to the thought that nobody would approach either side.

The young captain had sat down in his chair, while his lieutenant had chosen to stand, arms folded.

"So, Ichigo," she spoke, "now that we're alone, and in a soundproofed room at that, what was it you were trying to tell me?"

"Well," but he was cut off by someone he didn't expect to see, at least at this hour.

"Good evening my little bee, and," the figure moved to the captain's desk, sitting on it with legs folded, "_hello_ Ichigo."

"Knock it off, Yoruichi, can't you see that I'm busy?" He really wanted to talk to Soi Fong right now, and was worried that he would eventually lose his chance.

"Aw, come on, don't you have time for _me_, my _dear_ Ichigo?" She purred, which psychologically paralyzed the young man.

"Lady Yoruichi, what are you doing here at this hour? What about the division?" The petite woman chose to make her presence known, and was curious as to why her former mentor was acting this way.

"Oh don't worry about them, my bee; they've been drilled the same way that I drilled them over 100 years ago. As for Omaeda, he's receiving 'special training.'"

* * *

Another large thud could be heard within the second division barracks. At first, the Onmitsukido was bothered by the constant pounding, but after a while, they had grown used to it and went on with their business.

Most of the barracks was spotless, as per their captain's orders. Although their replacement captain had an open-door policy, a room was locked firmly, and reinforced by a double-sided Kido.

Inside the room, a large, burly man was hopping. Upon closer inspection, his Zanpakuto was nowhere to be seen, his arms extended above his head, and his mouth taped shut. His hands, too, were draped in special gloves, and it appeared that he was unable to touch his face for some unfathomable reason.

Muffled groans could be heard from him as he hopped up and down towards the ceiling, which contained his rice crackers, his secret stash of rice crackers, and all of his favorite jewelry, just out of reach for even his most audacious leaps and bounds.

* * *

"That was brilliant, lady Yoruichi. He needs to lose the weight, or he'd be no use as my lieutenant."

"It wasn't that hard, he isn't exactly the brightest bulb in the closet, you know. Anyway, I just wanted to check up on my two favorite students, and maybe get _creative_." The goddess of flash gave a suggestive wink to Ichigo.

"What do you mean by that?" He wanted to know if she was teasing, like always, or her 'strange behavior' meant something else.

"Oh, come now Ichigo, you're alone, in a room with two beautiful, youthful girls, and you don't know what I mean?"

"Bug off, Yoruichi, there's more to life than _that_, besides, I don't appreciate you sitting on my desk, so sit somewhere else." At this point, Soi Fong would have openly slapped him for his disrespect, but what happened next froze her to her core.

Before either captain or lieutenant knew what happened, the visiting leader of the Onmitsukido had straddled the former, who was greatly irritated. However, the lieutenant's reaction was more amusing, she thought, as the woman had a look in her eyes of hurt, jealousy, and sadness.

"Lady Yoruichi, I don't think that Ichigo is enjoying your intimacy very much." Although he couldn't pick up on it, the goddess of flash knew that what she really meant was 'with all due respect, get off of my man.'

Seeing as her work was done, Yoruichi had gotten up with a satisfied look on her face. "Well, that's enough teasing for one night. I better get going; I don't want that stumbling lieutenant falling through the floor. I wouldn't want to explain_ that_ to the interior designer." She had prepared to leave, when she gave one last glace at the two of them, and left.

* * *

Yoruichi had flash stepped at the speeds she was known for, and eventually ended up at her favorite space beneath Sokyoku Hill. Waiting for her was Urahara Kisuke: a big surprise.

"Well, Yoruichi, has operation S.M.A. been a success?" Fanning himself like he always did, the shopkeeper revealed a concealed object in the palm of his hand. Operation S.M.A., or Sexual innuendo, Molestation, and Arrogance, had been thoroughly mapped out to the last scrupulous detail, despite the rather ease of the plan. While it wasn't vital, giving that lazy lieutenant a workout was a plus.

"Yes, Kiskue, but I regret hurting my bee like that. She looks up to me so much, and to steal _him_ from her, it's just unforgivable. I don't think I can go through with the next part: it's just too much."

"That's a shame, you thought up such a brilliant plan, and yet you're afraid of the consequences." He snapped his fan shut, giving his old friend a serious look. "Just remember _who_ you're doing this for, isn't that why you started these shenanigans in the first place?"

"You have a point, but what if it doesn't work out? Not only will she be all alone, but our relationship will be broken beyond repair. What if we miscalculated?"

"Don't worry, Yoruichi," he patted his object rather contently. "It will be _just_ fine."

After she took off to her division, he thought of what he wanted to say, but couldn't bring to utter. 'There are _much_ more important things to worry about: I just hope that _he_ isn't in over his head when the time comes.'

* * *

A/N: Please review for this chapter. So you aren't confused, I may add some subplots that have no overall impact on the main plot, so I hope it doesn't annoy any of you.


	7. Chapter 7

I'm sorry for the last chapter being so trashy. I am still learning, and I realize that it was a garbage idea to begin with. I promise no more 4chan(slightly off-topic, but they recently hit an all-time low in my book. But anyways, back to Bleach.)

**Disclaimer: The rights to Bleach aren't in my possession.**

* * *

Isane Kotetsu believed that she needed medical help.

When Ichigo Kurosaki entered into the fourth division barracks for his daily Kido training, she already knew he was a fast learner, so curiosity got the better of her when she asked her captain to watch his progress. She nearly fainted when he had seen him with her own eyes master Bakudo up to number 29, and Hado up to number 26. This was ridiculous: at this rate, he could, as the lieutenant observed, single-handedly take down Head-Captain Yamamoto within a month's time.

Her captain seemed to be done for the day, and asked her leave the room. After what already happened, she seemed to need it, and headed to the division's third seat to check for her sanity.

Smiling as always, Unohana then turned to perform her other daily duty for the young captain. "Captain Kurosaki, I understand that you and lieutenant Soi Fong have had a complex relationship. After hearing about what happened 'that day,' I seem to think the problem is obvious, yet you claim it is not. Would you care to delve into your memory to explain why it is so?"

Suddenly, the captain in question looked extremely downcast. "Well, I really hate remembering that night, and it constantly haunts me…"

_Flashback:_

_Ichigo was hopping from rooftop to rooftop, towards the barracks of the second division. He felt like an enormous jerk after what he did earlier in the day. Praying that luck was on his side, he scurried with great speed._

_Upon reaching the barracks, he found the lights were out, and that he Squad was enjoying the few hours of sleep they were rationed. Remembering everything Yoruichi told him, he navigated his way through the barracks, and eventually reached Soi Fong's quarters._

_There were so many things that could go wrong, the substitute thought, but it was a risk he had to take. He knocked on the door just loud enough for her to hear, but got no response. After knocking again, he did get one that time._

_"Who is it? State yourself before I decide it's time for target practice."_

_"It's me, Soi Fong. I came over and"_

_"What do you want, Kurosaki? Come to molest me again? Answer now or I'll answer for you."_

_"I've come to apologize for today. What I did was inexcusable, and I want you to know that I mean it."_

_"Save your breath for someone who cares. It's bad enough that you can't contain your perverse actions."_

_"Look, is there anyway I could make this up to you?"_

_After waiting about a minute, she replied. "If it really matters that much to you, we can talk tomorrow."_

_"It's a deal, thanks Soi Fong, I promise I'll be there."_

_Immediately after he said that, Ichigo had left the building and decided to sleep. Little did he realize that he would have to leave for the world of the living the next morning._

_End Flashback:_

"…I completely forgot that it was the last day before school, and I didn't remember until the next morning."

"I see," Unohana was absorbing the story in like what the people in the world of the living called a 'sponge.'

"Later, I tried to contact her frequently, but she was out of contact for months, and by the time I could reach her, she hated me, and I don't blame her. I tried my best to apologize, but she kept making attempts on my life ever since." What he didn't know was that Soi Fong had learned about an innovation from the world of the living, which was called a 'filter,' which allowed her to avoid anyone she chose, and still keep her job.

This caused the captain of the fourth division to enter deep thought. She had talked about it with Ukitake the previous night, and he had a theory, but she didn't think it was possible. After hearing the last bit of the tale, the woman fitted all the pieces of the puzzle together, and came to an inevitable conclusion.

"I need to ask you a question, captain Kurosaki," she sighed, and then continued. "Do you think it's possible, that lieutenant Soi Fong ever held feelings for anyone?"

This was a no-brainer for anyone, even the captain of the third division. "Of course, I mean she seems to be in love with captain Shihoin, but what does this have to do with her hating me?"

"It comes to my attention that you may be right, and wrong, at the same time. It may be true that she harbors love for captain Shihoin, but I don't think that her affection is beyond the boundaries of a 'sisterly' relationship."

This came as a surprise to Ichigo. "Are you proposing that Soi Fong _isn't_ lesbian?"

"Have you ever seen or heard of lieutenant Soi Fong in a relationship with anyone? While it is true that she would do anything for her, I doubt the fact that she 'prefers' women to men."

"Alright, so I'll admit that there could be a possibility that we've all misjudged her, but what are you getting at?"

She didn't know if he was ready to hear it, but he had to, if there was any hope of them not at each other's throats. "There may be a small chance, that she harbors affection for _you_, captain Kurosaki."

His blood froze. Never in a million years would he imagine Soi Fong, of all people, feeling about him, of all people. He wanted to get up and scream blasphemy. He wanted to enter Bankai, don his hollow mask, and rip the Seireitei in half. He wanted to beat up the next thug who looked at him funny.

But he couldn't.

At first, he couldn't believe it, but after much denial, he came to the conclusion that even as far-fetched as it was, the theory was his best bet. "What do I do now? How can I handle this without her trying to kill me?"

"Lieutenant Soi Fong is a firm believer in following orders, captain Kurosaki. If you order her to listen, she will have no choice but to listen."

"Don't get any ideas, Ichigo."

Suddenly, a familiar black cat appeared on the windowsill, gazing at him with golden eyes. "Please forgive me, captain Unohana, but after overhearing your conversation about my little bee, I couldn't help but listen."

"What the hell, Yoruichi! Why were you hitting on me last night?"

"Oh, that, well I felt like teasing you again, but for _other_ reasons. I know you enjoyed it, you little pervert." She smirked at his reaction, and turned to Unohana, giving her a knowing look. Although no words were spoken, the two women had reassured one another that there could be no doubt about the situation. Not saying another word, the goddess of flash took off for who-knows-what.

"Okay, I'll test your theory, but what if it doesn't work? What if it backfires?" Ichigo was relieved that his former mentor took off, but he immediately remembered the matter at hand.

"Well, should that be the case, remember that her position will only be temporary. If worst comes to worst, once everything is over, you two will never have to speak to each other again."

He had to admit, the woman in front of him had a good point. Plus, he had other reasons for compromising with the small woman. "Alright, I'll do it. Thank you, captain Unohana, for everything. You've taken the time out of your day to help me with my personal life. You even remind me of… my mother."

This came as a shock to Unohana, who never thought she would see the day that she would be considered a mother. "I remind you of your mother? Is she a nice person?"

"She _was_ a wonderful person. She was the heart of our family, and I loved her dearly. But… she was murdered by the Grand Fisher, and I was powerless to stop him. I confronted the bastard at her grave, but I failed to kill him. I'm glad that she was avenged by my father, but I wish it were me."

Suddenly, her smile went upside down. "I see, this isn't an easy subject for you, is it?"

"Well, as terrible as the event was, I need to put it behind me if I ever want to move on. I'll never forget my failure, and it drives me to protect those that I care about."

"Well, I'm glad that I am helpful to you, captain Kurosaki. Before you go, however, we need to talk about using Kido."

"You knew about what happened yesterday?"

"I was informed by captain Ukitake last night. While I am glad that you are using it already, and so well, I must remind you that it should never be used on your friends and allies."

"I will, thank you again, captain Unohana." As he left the room, Isane came in to receive a checkup from her captain. Not trusting anyone but her, she still needed confirmation on what she saw.

* * *

"Lady Yoruichi, I am sorry for my unacceptable behavior last night and,"

"It's okay, my bee, don't feel ashamed. Anyway, I wanted to have a little chat later. How about meeting me at our barracks in an hour or so?"

"Thank you, lady Yoruichi, but why not now, if I may ask?"

"I'm just a bit tired after paying a little visit to your captain." After noting the slight blush that graced the woman in front of her, Yoruichi let out a chuckle. "Don't worry, I didn't do _that_."

"I don't know what you mean, lady Yoruichi. Why would I be worried about anything you did?"

"Nevermind, my little bee, take care now, and don't run the division into the ground." Almost simultaneously after the goddess of flash departed, Kiyomi walked in.

"Greetings, lieutenant Soi Fong, how is your morning?"

"Average, as usual." Upon closer inspection, the third seat didn't have a visible scratch on her. She knew that the fourth division, especially Unohana, was skilled at healing, but a full recovery so soon was rare, especially at the hour she was wounded. "That was a fast recovery. How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine, lieutenant Soi Fong. As good as new, as a matter of fact." Her smile widened, which unnerved Soi Fong.

"I suppose your trip to the fourth division went without a hitch? I didn't expect you to make such a rapid recovery."

"Actually, I never arrived to the fourth division. I performed a healing Kido on myself and returned to the barracks in time to catch some sleep."

The demoted leader of the Onmitsukido knew that healing Kido was an incredible feat to be used by members outside the fourth division, but usage on one's self was absurd. Something didn't seem right to her. "Healing Kido on yourself? How did you do that?"

"Well, I had picked up the art a while back, and after much practice, I obtained the ability. I haven't mastered it yet, but until I do, I want to keep it a secret."

"Why? With your ability, you could be made a lieutenant, and with a bit of dedication, even a captain. I'm going to tell Ichigo, and the three of us can have a discussion on the matter."

Suddenly, the peaceful demeanor that the third seat was known for had vanished without a trace. "Please don't do that, lieutenant Soi Fong. I wouldn't want to resort to… playing dirty."

"Play dirty? What do you mean by that?"

"I know how you're giving captain Kurosaki the eye."

"What! What in blazes makes you think that I see him _that_ way?"

"To start, you're calling him by his first name. Second, I saw the way you looked at him last night."

This statement gave a sense of fear to Soi Fong. Lady Yoruichi had been hinting at it for some time, but never had anyone been that upfront about it. "What is it you want? It can't possibly be just keeping your position."

"Let's make a deal: if you don't tell him about this incident, I'll keep a lid on your crush on our sexy captain."

* * *

"Achoo!"

"Do you have a cold, Ichigo? You've been sneezing quite a bit."

"I don't: it's either Kenpachi getting nostalgic about our first encounter, Grimmjow cursing me, or Soi Fong found yet _another_ way to kill me."

"Don't be such a Debbie-downer, Ichigo." Rukia had been permitted to stay in the human world after Aizen's defeat, and picked up a few phrases from various origins, may of which she didn't know.

"You're right, I should be optimistic. It might be the Shinigami Women's Association."

His close friend thought that enough was enough, and started wailing on him, as usual.

* * *

Although taken aback by the comment on their captain, the lieutenant had no choice but to agree. "Fine, it's a deal."

Kiyomi's demeanor reverted back to her cheerful self. "Thank you, lieutenant Soi Fong. I hope you enjoy the rest of the day. I'll return to the recreation center with the rest of the division. We will make you proud!" After the third seat left the room, she sighed, and relaxed in her chair, waiting for her chance to properly apologize to her idol.

* * *

After saying to himself that visiting the fifth division was a bad idea, Ichigo resumed his stroll back to his headquarters. He had a lot on his mind, and thought that a quick chat with his friends would alleviate some stress. He felt proud, when entering the division grounds, his men were all preparing for the big day. He would check on them later, but something more important came first.

After entering his office, he found Soi Fong in deep thought. 'It must be Yoruichi again. I admit, she did act strange, and I didn't expect her teasing to get _that_ far."

"**Planning on a threesome, king? As **_**suave**_** as you may be, I want a cut on the action."**

'The hell! We both know that Yoruichi is completely out of my league, and that I don't need to explain Soi Fong.'

"**While I'll agree with you on the former, that the woman is obviously not into you, you're completely oblivious on the latter."**

'What do you mean by that?'

"**You'll find out yourself if you follow through with your surrogate mother's plan."**

Because he too deep in thought talking to his inner hollow, the young Vizard was unaware of his composure, which made him look like he was arguing with some invisible entity. His lieutenant was fed up with it, and broke it. "What are you doing just standing there?"

Remembering how silly he must look, he turned to his pressing matter. "Soi Fong, we need to talk."

"I hope you plan on doing it later, because lady Yoruichi came by first, and I'm going to meet up with her soon."

"Okay, Soi Fong, you can go, but as soon as you get back, we are going to chat, no exceptions."

"Fine." Before she left, he moved to ask another question.

"How is Kiyomi doing? Did she come back from the fourth division?"

"Actually, all she needed was some rest. She didn't need treatment, so she returned, and she claims to be as good as new." Although it was an overall lie, parts of her start were true, so the petite Shinigami didn't feel as bad about lying.

After noting that he was satisfied, she left for another room, doing who-knows-what. Ichigo grunted in frustration and decided to visit his Squad to observe their progress.

* * *

The third division had improved radically over the course of the past week. Every day, they seemed to get better and better. Their Hakuda and Hoho were gaining on the Onmitsukido, thanks to Soi Fong overseeing during her "off hours," and their Zanjutsu was slowly improving. Still, their Kido was only average, but that didn't matter much, due to their opponents not being famous for being experts in the skill.

As he watched them go at it, Ichigo observed that they would be ready within two days. What made him uneasy was that Kiyomi appeared to be sitting out. Curious, he sat down next to her. "Why are you sitting out, Kiyomi?"

""Oh, captain Kurosaki, I, don't feel well today. I'm still a bit dizzy from last night."

"Oh, that's too bad. I just don't want you getting out-of-shape for the tournament."

"Well, captain Kurosaki, there's something you should know about the tournament." After look at her captain for recognition, she went on. "Calling it a 'tournament' isn't exactly accurate: it's more of a bloody free-for-all, with teams. It's not uncommon for certain divisions to be cut down to the last Shinigami. It was dubbed a 'tournament' because it was meant for all Squads to participate, but that obviously isn't the case."

"Wouldn't that be all the more incentive to work harder? Soi Fong told me you felt as good as new."

"Ah, well I was, but I don't feel so good. Besides, we should be preparing more on the environment of the fight."

"Environment? That's important? I thought it was just eye-candy."

"Well, depending on the surroundings, we will have an easier or harder time overcoming the eleventh division. Although the contest is on the strength of the division, using military tactics isn't against the rules."

"I see," Ichigo was now curious. He didn't think this in-depth on the subject, so it fascinated him. "Go on, I have plenty of time."

* * *

Soi Fong was never one to be impatient on matters concerning lady Yoruichi, but it had been _four_ hours since they had agreed to meet. She wondered where her idol could have been, and sighed heavily. What concerned her was that it was getting dark, and the sun had just about set.

If this was a mistake on her part, the lieutenant had no idea, but she refused to accept that _her_ lady Yoruichi would abandon her _again_. She just stood there, the bee waiting for the cat, and waited like a resolute watch dog. There was some comments about her, but she ignored them, focusing on where the goddess of flash could have been.

After waiting long after dark, and reaching her curfew, a teary-eyed petite Shinigami made her way back to her office, feeling loneliness overcome her once again.

* * *

The young captain of the third division was relaxing in his chair, content with the day's events. After a long conversation with his third seat, he had personally drilled his men, helping them with their Zanjutsu, and showing off some Kido as well. It was unfortunate that Kiyomi had fell asleep after a while, and he had to carry her to her room, but he had faith in her abilities.

What he really wanted to do was talk with Soi Fong, but knowing Yoruichi, she would probably be gone for the rest of the night. Given that, he was naturally startled when said woman had appeared in front of him, with a look of sadness on her face.

"Soi Fong, what happened?"

She sniffed and looked down, trying not to meet his gaze. "L-l-lady Yoruichi wasn't there, so I left."

"Can we talk? There's something I want to talk with you about."

"Over my dead body, Ichigo. There's no way,"

"Soi Fong, as your _captain_ I _order_ you to cut the crap and listen." Ichigo hated doing that, he felt that overexerting authority was wrong, but given the situation, it was a necessary evil.

Much to his amazement, she did shut up, and sat down in front of him. He quickly noted that, so long as he didn't abuse this privilege, it could save his ass one day.

"Listen, Soi Fong, for years now, I've wanted to tell you that I am dearly sorry for how I behaved all those years ago. It was wrong for me to take advantage of you, and especially for standing you up. For years, I've tried to tell you, but you kept pushing me away, and for good reason."

"Get to the point, Ichigo."

"The point is… I acted on instinct there because... I think that I'm… attracted to you, Soi Fong. I think you're outstanding, dedicated, intelligent, beautiful, an-,"

Suddenly, an outstretched finger was placed in front of him. "Stop pulling my leg, or I'll release Suzumebachi this instant."

He brushed her finger away from him, and gave a worried look. "I'm not pulling your leg, Soi Fong. I enjoy spending time with you, and I want to know if you felt the same way."

Instead of pummeling him, as he anticipated, she pulled him into an embrace, sealed with a kiss. "Does that answer your question?" This time, she knew that she had him where she wanted him.

"Well, in a way, but I don't feel that it's fair for you." He noted her downcast expression after he spoke.

"Why would it be unfair? I love you, Ichigo." She inched forward, trying to catch whatever he was going to say.

"Well, that is the problem. I love my family, and my friends, but for you, I don't know. I feel a strong feeling of happiness whenever I'm around you, but it's different from when I'm with my family or my friends. I've never truly felt this way about _anyone_, not Rukia, not Orihime, nobody, and as it pains me to say it, I'm not sure if it's love or not. I don't want to end up breaking your heart, even at my own cost."

"Don't worry, Ichigo, I'm sure you'll figure out your emotions soon enough. In the meantime, I don't mind if we see each other, I really wouldn't call it unfair, as long as it's you."

"Well, until everything is sorted out, I think we should keep our relationship incognito. I think it's for the best, until you regain your position."

"I agree, but we should at least let lady Yoruichi know. I trust her with my life: I'm sure that she'll never tell a soul if we ask her not to." She glanced over at a nearby clock that Ichigo had brought over from his old room. "It's getting late: we should get some rest."

The Vizard had just gotten up, when he was pulled down again. "As much as I'd like to stay here with you a while longer, I need to get to sleep."

"I was just reminding you that your bed is that way, Ichigo. I think that since we're together, we can skip the chivalric act."

'Act? What act?' Ichigo gave a deep sigh. "Fair enough," He had gotten into the bed first, and Soi Fong had rushed in soon after. "You're eager to jump into bed with me, aren't you?"

Her response was a playful shove. "Shut up."

* * *

"Well, Yoruichi, I guess it's safe to safe that the plan was a success."

"I guess so, Kisuke, but do you think she will forgive me?"

"Puh-lease! She does everything short of worship the ground you walk on. I'll admit: it was a low blow, but I'm sure that when she's ready, you can tell her and it will all be water under the bridge."

"You're right, Kisuke, I'm probably worrying too much." The goddess of flash noticed that her old friend was tinkering with an odd device. "What's that? Is it new?"

"Oh, this? It lets me check the shield surrounding the Seireitei. I'm just checking to make sure that it will survive the sudden surge of Reiatsu in a few days. Who knows what would happen should it collapse with the entire Gotei 13 focused in one position."

The perverted inventor saw that his old friend was staring intently at his device. 'Sorry, Yoruichi,' he thought to himself. 'There's something I want to tell you, and everyone else in the Seireitei, but we can't afford to miss this opportunity.'

* * *

"Hey, Ichigo?"

All that could be heard was a mumble, but it was definitely a mumble of confirmation.

"Do you think I can come with you to captain Unohana tomorrow?"

This time, the young captain gave the thumbs-up sign. Soi Fong went back to sleep, while the day's events replayed in her mind. 'Why would lady Yoruichi do this to me? She has been acting rather unusual lately. I want to ask her a few questions the next time I see her. There's also something else I want to do with Ichigo, just the two of us, but I'll ask him in the morning.'

* * *

A/N: I hope this chapter was an improvement. I am aware that Soi Fong may have been a bit OOC in this chapter, but I'm still tinkering a bit. I think I overdid the fluff, and from here, I'll try to keep it at a reasonable level.


	8. Chapter 8

I apologize for the later-than-usual update on this. I've been a bit busier than I'd prefer, and only had enough time to work on this bit by bit. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed so far: I think I'm getting the hang of this.

**Disclaimer: As I admitted previously, I don't own Bleach.**

* * *

"Wake up, Ichigo, you've been asleep for too long. At this rate, there isn't going to be much of a day left." Soi Fong had been watching her object of affection for a good enough time, in her own opinion. She had nudged his sleeping form, but to no avail. This slightly annoyed her, and made her think. 'What would lady Yoruichi do? She would- but I can't do that! What if he- well, it's worth a shot.'

Suddenly, sleeping beauty himself slowly unveiled his eyes, feeling slightly funny this morning. Upon closer inspection, he found his lieutenant had stifled his nose with her hands, and his mouth with hers, tongue and all. Immediately, the Vizard's eyes shot open, and jumped back a bit.

"What the hell Soi Fong! Are you trying to kill me?" Although his tone sounded furious, he was confused, and slightly hurt, that he was being assassinated in his sleep.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo. I wanted to wake you up, but you're stubborn, in _and_ out of bed. Besides that, I didn't want you to sleep in." Even though he couldn't read her thoughts, Ichigo knew from her words that she didn't want to kill him anymore, and that she was showing _genuine_ humility, something that people, besides Yoruichi, never saw at all.

"Don't sweat it. What time is it? You said I overslept."

"It's seven in the morning already. I've been waiting by your side for the past few hours." The man let out a grunt, and plopped back on his bed. From what she told him, Soi Fong had been up since before dawn, as usual, but she wasn't sure of what to do. She had changed, but instead of a morning workout, she chose to watch her captain sleep. After he had slept for a reasonable amount of time, in her eyes, she attempted to wake him.

The captain in question was forgiving, particularly due to the fact that her idea of "adequate sleep" was seven hours maximum. He allowed himself to wake, and got prepared himself. "It's a bit early to go to Unohana's, what do say about a bit of breakfast?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm not hungry." Her body, due to the previous night, was in full rebellion. In an act of betrayal, the petite Shinigami's stomach let out a grumble that could have been heard throughout the barracks, if not for the Kido in place. It also blocked off the rest of the world to the laughter in response.

"Come on, let's get a bite to eat, we have plenty of time."

* * *

A silent wind blew through the Seireitei, as the day seemed uneventful at best. The area in front of the second division barracks was devoid of any occupants at the moment, save one Yoruichi Shihoin on an overlooking rooftop. She watched the empty space with interest, expecting something.

Suddenly, a large tear in the fabric of reality was woven into the environment. The wind howled as what appeared to be a road to hell, with no apparent good intentions, had been paved in the previously vacant space.

To make matters worse, or better depending on who is asked, a lone silhouette emerged from the portal. The figure was cloaked, making it undistinguishable, but Yoruichi was still able to identify the newcomer, and whoever it was, the newcomer was no threat.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, I probably shouldn't be this overprotective, but Kenpachi Zaraki has changed since the Winter War. You've probably noticed it, because right now, he isn't wearing his eyepatch. I'm afraid that _he_ will be so caught up with improving his division that he himself will not have improved. He's completely oblivious to what happened over the past few years that it could kill him."

Although no emotion could be felt from the figure, it could be determined that it understood every word that was spoken.

"I know that _she_ will do everything that she can to keep him alive, but we need backup. That's where you come in. I'll be close by, and besides that, I'm sure that she would much rather talk to me than compete with you. In addition, she will probably want some alone time with him, so we'll wait until later."

The mystery visitor nodded, and accepted the plan. It stood still, anticipating more information.

"Try not to get carried away, or making her jealous, that's all I ask, now go." Yoruichi left the stranger with that request. The figure blazed off as well, but in a different direction.

* * *

"Good morning, Captain Unohana. I hope you don't mind if I brought a guest with me, do you?"

"Of course, Captain Kurosaki. If I may, who is it that came along?" The wise woman tilted her head to notice the visitor. When she saw who it was, her eyes had widened. "What an unexpected surprise, Lieutenant Soi Fong. Please, make yourself comfortable."

The pair had sat down. Ichigo got settled across from Unohana, while Soi Fong took a spot to the side, watching him serenely. Unohana took note of this, and chose to save it for later.

The demoted leader of the Onmitsukido, as everyone else that was given the honor of witnessing the act, was in awe as the Vizard commenced with his Kido session. The captain of the fourth division, too, noticed that he was happier on this particular morning. She believed it was this happiness that spurred him to finish the gap to finishing his Kido requirement in record time.

The shorter woman was speechless, while the other, still maintaining her smile, was impressed. "That was incredible, Captain Kurosaki. You have mastered the necessary Kido for your position. Your training sessions are complete."

"Thanks," he gave a glace to the woman sitting on the side, and looked back to his tutor. Unohana believed that now was appropriate to confirm her theory.

"Is it safe to say that you took my advice and sorted things out, Captain Kurosaki? Lieutenant Soi Fong seems appreciative to be here, and you seem to radiate happiness."

"You're right, we had a talk last night, and not only are we on good terms," however, he caught himself before he spilled the beans, but the perceptive woman in front of him knew everything: it fitted all the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Don't worry, Captain Kurosaki, Lieutenant Soi Fong. I won't tell anyone, and congratulations, the two of you."

"Thank you, Captain Unohana, for everything. If there's anything I can do for you, please ask."

"Don't worry about it, Captain Kurosaki, it was a pleasure." Both captain and lieutenant gave a nod and walked out. It had only been a few seconds, and Unohana missed the young captain already. She made a note to herself to stay in touch with him, if possible.

After exiting the barracks, but before leaving the grounds, Ichigo moved to leave, but Soi Fong tugged on his arm.

"Wait Ichigo, there's something I wanted to do, just the two of us."

'Is she asking me… on a date?' Ichigo was puzzled: this was something he needed to get used to. "What did you have in mind?"

"Follow me; I want us to be alone." They had left quickly, and failed to notice the snickering captain in pursuit.

* * *

"Are you sure, Head-Captain? I know that the event is rare, and the combatants are two of the most powerful captains in the Seireitei, bordering on challenging you, but this is absurd!"

Yamamoto appeared to be in deep thought, leaning on his staff. He knew that his amendment would stir controversy, and was tolerant of his lieutenant's outburst.

"Yes, Lieutenant, this will come into effect. I will run it through Central 46, and press them to decide _before_ the contest actually starts."

"But what if they refuse? I wouldn't hold it past them to reject anything like this."

A long pause graced itself as the elderly captain thought some more. "Once they are reminded just _who_ they are dealing with, I am almost certain that they would let it slide. Although I exemplify Soul Society law to the letter, I think not that they would want a Shinigami/Hollow hybrid against them, never mind an entire _army_ of them. Throw in the rest of his friends, Captain Zaraki, and even Lieutenant Soi Fong, and not even _I, _and what's left of the Gotei 13, could protect them."

"Very well, Head-Captain, I will inform the Central 46 chambers at once. I pray that this privilege isn't abused." Chojiro Sasakibe departed, which gave his captain some much-needed relaxation time.

'I expect you to make everyone proud, Captain Kurosaki. I'd hate to be needed to kill you, and truth be told, I think I lost that chance years ago. You're the fastest growing Shinigami I've ever seen in over 2000 years of my experience. Don't blow it, Captain Kurosaki.'

* * *

"Isn't it beautiful, Ichigo?"

He had to agree with her: the spot she chose was a magnificent one at that. The dense forested area had a good distance from the Seireitei, but it was close enough to return quickly. Simply looking up, he saw tall trees that sprawled towards the sky. He couldn't keep himself from containing his opinion.

"Yeah, it is pretty amazing, Soi Fong. How do you know this place?"

"This is where I go for my morning workout every day. I need to stay in shape, you know." She notably looked downcast as she continued. "This was also where lady Yoruichi took me when I was still her student. I brought you here because I wanted us to be alone."

"Alone for what?" Indeed, 'alone for what?' His first idea was that this was her idea of a date, but she didn't seem like the type for that.

"Well, between your duties as a captain, and your duty of instructing the division, we haven't had enough 'us' time."

It was true, in hindsight; Ichigo never really spent much time with his lieutenant. He did admit up until last night, he had a perfectly good cop out to avoid her, but now, their relationship had really gone to hell. The two of them really had to bond more, even if their relationship was secret.

The Vizard was too busy thinking of how much time he should be spending with his new "girlfriend" to see the blow to his forehead. As a result, he was knocked back, crashing through several trees, and connecting with a rock, which cushioned the blow.

"What the hell? What was that for? I thought we were supposed to be bonding!"

"We _are_ bonding, Ichigo. You've been getting lazy and arrogant over the last couple of years, and I need to bring you down to Soul Society. You're Hakuda needs to be improved to the point where you aren't stronger unconscious than in your present state." Right there, standing atop a tree stump created by the recent collision, Soi Fong was already in her Onmitsukido uniform, ready to go.

She did have a point: while he did hold his own against two other captains, and two vastly-progressing ones, they also happened to be the two most inexperienced, after himself. The captain quickly got up, although still a bit surprised, and looked back. 'She didn't pass off as a romantic type anyway. I'll need insurance if I plan on proposing.'

"**That's what I'm for, king."**

'The _non_-satirical brand, please.'

"**You're no fun, you're an old hag."**

'And you're a,' but the king wasn't able to finish, because the petite Shinigami in front of him had gotten impatient, and activated Flash Cry, before restarting their "date." After the first initial pummels, he adjusted and started matching her, blow for blow.

* * *

"Hado #88: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!" A gigantic beam of blue light engulfed part of the forest, leveling a number of trees. The blast left wanton destruction, startling everything in the area. This included the goddess of flash, and the mysterious visitor, who were moving at blazing speed.

The two of them were at first startled by the Kido that was just fired and even more surprised when continuous blasts of said spell formed, especially when they happened to be moving in their direction.

"This is bad," Yoruichi commented on the recent surprise that accompanied them. "I didn't think anyone else would be here. I can't think of anyone who could use that spell this much, and this recklessly, but if _he's_ here, who's,"

With a dynamic entry, a blue beam shot over her head. Moving quickly, both she and the concealed stranger hastened their pace, not wanting to become Shinigami on a stick.

The newcomer didn't show any emotion, due to the concealment of the cloak, but it appeared to agree with the provisional captain of the second division. Suddenly, another blast erupted and split the two of them apart.

"I'll meet up with you later, go find Ichigo." After another blue beam went off, neither one could be seen.

* * *

"Okay, Ichigo, I think we've done enough for today." "Enough" in Soi Fong's eyes was a thorough beating, with multiple bruises on both of them. It was noticeable that the lieutenant had less of a beating than her captain, but the gap wasn't too large. Interestingly enough, besides the initial blows, Ichigo's head and neck were nearly untouched.

"Yeah, I don't want to get blasted by one of those Hados." In truth, the captain of the third division had an excellent workout. He planned on spending the next day with his division, as he felt the need to bond with his subordinates.

His lieutenant highly opposed this, as she didn't want him to feel the pain of loss that she did when her goddess departed from the second division and her over a hundred years prior. Despite this, he was able to compromise so that he only spent most of the day with the division, and the rest with just her.

"We should get back before it's late." What Ichigo didn't know, when the petite Shinigami said that, was that she would have rather stayed out later, than deal with Kiyomi, Although she would never admit it, she knew that the only real way to better prepare for a fight with a big brute was training with a big guy, but since one wasn't available, she dismissed the thought quickly.

"Okay, just let me grab Zangetsu and we can go." Retrieving his Zanpakuto should have been a mundane task. One could imagine the look on his face when the Vizard was ambushed by what appeared to be a blur the moment his hand wrapped around the hilt. Even though he managed to block it with his arms, Soi Fong was shocked that anyone could land such a blow.

Upon closer inspection, the blur came into view. It was a figure, covered head-to-toe in a black cloak, which made its face undistinguishable. It appeared to have no weapon, but it towered over the orange-haired man. Who or whatever it was appeared to be strong.

Not only that, it was fast too.

In just a blink of an eye, the stranger was gone, and reappeared right behind Ichigo. He scrambled to defend himself, but was knocked back. After he recovered from the second blow, the young captain asked the newcomer a question. "Who or what are you? What brings you here?"

Instead of answering the question, the cloaked figure connected another blow, this time knocking the Vizard back a fair distance. He moved in pursuit, and Soi Fong was about to follow, when she was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Good afternoon, my bee. What brings you out here at this time of day?"

Immediately her eyes turned to the tree above her, where Yoruichi was sitting, with a grin stretching from ear-to-ear. The short Shinigami blushed upon the sight of her former mentor. "Lady Yoruichi, what brings you out here?"

"Oh, I was taking a stroll after making sure the Onmitsukido was doing their job, but I think the real question here is: what are _you_ doing out _here?_"

* * *

After a good deal of distance was put between them and where they encountered each other, the mysterious figure let Ichigo stop tumbling through the wilderness. Said man was face-down on the ground, and stood up, finger pointed.

"You still didn't answer my question! Who are you?"

This time, the newcomer moved its hand to the hood of the cloak and pulled it over.

Ichigo was in complete shock. The figure was most definitely a man. He had brown, baggy hair, with bangs that stretched to cover one of his eyes. The man also had a solemn expression, which showed through his dark skin. Below his face was a choker, with what appeared to be a coin. His brown eyes bore into the captain in front of him, who didn't expect to see him.

"Chad, is that you?" The young captain couldn't believe his eyes.

"Yes," was his reply. It answered one question and opened up a thousand more.

Yasutora Sado, or Chad as he's commonly known, was a classmate of Ichigo, and one of his closest friends. He was known for his towering size, humble personality, and incredible strength, which helped the orange-haired Vizard on his wild adventures.

After the dust had settled and the Central 46 had been reinstated, the Chambers issued an edict that Ichigo and his friends were ordered to wear special equipment that would hide their Reiatsu and prevent the exposure to them from affecting anymore humans.

At first, Yamamoto was successful in persuading them to allowing Ichigo to retain his then-Substitute status, but the young Vizard was stubborn on the premise that his friends should be given the option of using their powers to protect their town.

Eventually, after a rare collaboration between the current and former heads of the Shinigami Research & Development Institute, a solution was crafted. Special articles of gear was developed that would allow his friends to fight Hollows in a way that was sanctioned by the Seireitei. Ishida, however, refused to accept it, as he wanted nothing to do with Shinigami. Orihime had been dubbed a special case, as she seemed to be able to control her Reiatsu and didn't use her abilities too often, and was exempt from the edict.

Chad was given a piece of gear in the form of a wristband that functioned much like Ichigo's old Substitute Shinigami badge. It was invisible to the common human, but it had special bonuses to it. First, the wristband allowed him to purify Hollows that he killed, so he could help defend Karakura Town while Ichigo was away. Second, it had a special function that let him absorb spirit particles, which made him slightly more powerful with every Hollow killed. The wristband also helped prevent his Reiatsu from leaking out before he could control it better.

"I can't believe it Chad, what are you doing here in Soul Society? And why did you hit me?"

"I came to congratulate you for your promotion and," his right arm suddenly was covered by a liquid, which manifested into a shield-like fist that reached to above his shoulder. The black and dark magenta shield had what appeared to be Hollow-like teeth in the middle. "I came to help save your life."

Chad's powers were unique. He was a living human, but his strength was too brutish for Quincy standards, and not refined enough to qualify for a Shinigami. He himself likened it to that of a Hollow, which was the direction where he looked for improvement. Strangely enough, he received aid from an Arrancar, the antithesis of a Vizard, named Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.

Grimmjow had made a deal with Ichigo: in exchange for him reluctantly teaching Chad Sonido, the Hollow equivalent of Flash Steps, the Vizard would agree to schedule a rematch with him every six months, no matter _where_ he was. This was a problem, as whenever Grimmjow tore open a Garganta, a small army of Hollows would follow, causing Chad, and the others, to drop what they were doing and contain them.

"At least this lets me practice against brute force," Ichigo remarked. Zangetsu wasn't too far off: he thought it could come in handy should his opponent unknowingly be killing him. As he retrieved the blade, he almost dropped a load at the sight of a gigantic fallen tree trunk being lifted into the air. "Gah! Are you really going to use that thing, Chad?"

"Unless you would rather not use Zangetsu, I think my Zanpakutree can greatly improve your Zanjutsu."

Thankfully for the Vizard, he almost completely mastered Hakuda, thanks for Soi Fong's help. He left Zangetsu, and charged at Chad with his fists. It really paid off, because he was not only matching him, blow-for-blow, Ichigo was also equal in raw power with his old friend.

Not long after their spar had begun, the orange-haired captain noted the sun's location in the sky. 'As great as it is to see Chad again, I'll need to finish this before it gets too dark out.'

* * *

"So, my bee, how are you and Ichigo doing? Have you been getting _busy_?"

"Lady Yoruichi!" To conceal her blush, Soi Fong shifted her head away from the goddess of flash.

"So, have you broken him in yet?"

All of the sudden, the petite Shinigami did something she didn't normally do. She started twiddling her fingers, and appeared slightly nervous. "We-we have agreed to see each other as of last night."

Yoruichi smirked, feeling satisfaction for this turn of events for the second time. "I'm happy for you, my little bee. You've made me proud." There was a subtle disheartening in her words. 'Should I tell her? No, if I do, our relationship will be shattered. I'll tell her about _that_. I'm sure she's going to need some knowledge in that field.'

"Lady Yoruichi, are you okay?"

"Don't worry about me, my bee. There's something I want to talk to you about, and I suspect that you'll be doing it _a lot_ with Ichigo."

* * *

"It's getting dark, Ichigo. I think you should turn in for the evening." Chad's monotone voice was quite a reprieve from the arduous cries of the third division every day. The sun was starting to set, and all non-posted Shinigami would be required to return to the Seireitei by dusk.

"Yeah, I can't take much more of this." That wasn't a lie: Ichigo was nearing his limit. He was already halfway there after his "date," and this unexpected surprise closed the gap.

Surprisingly, the young captain was relieved to have gotten to see Chad. It wasn't every day that he could apply what he learned from Soi Fong to a moving target, and rarer still to use them against Hollow powers specialized in that field.

Upon their return to the women, the both of them were laughing, and apparently having a good time. Upon his arrival, the petite Shinigami rushed up to give the orange-haired one a hug, much like a child would give to their parent. Yoruichi gave the gentle giant a signal, which he seemed to understand.

"I think it's time to retire for the evening. Oh, before I forget to say it, congratulations Ichigo." The goddess of flash gave him a teasing wink. 'He's definitely managed to accomplish the impossible, although this isn't the first time. He is the youngest captain in the history of Soul Society, and not even dead yet.'

After the couple had retreated to their barracks, she turned to Chad. "Thanks again for coming. I'm not sure how much good it will do, but I'm not sure if my bee could handle it by herself."

"Is it true, Yoruichi? Has Kenpachi become as strong as you say?"

"It's true all right, I was there when the process started, and I never saw the point of it, especially during a period of peace. My guess is that Kisuke wanted to prepare for another defection, should one arise."

As he pulled his cloak over his head, the visitor tapped into his vast wisdom. "I should be getting back to Karakura Town now. I wish I could stay and see how far Ichigo has come, but by any indication of mine, he should be fine."

"I hope so, Chad, but you don't realize just _what_ exactly he's dealing with…"

* * *

After they had returned to their barracks, Ichigo and Soi Fong, mainly the former, were too tired to deal with the division, and nearly fell asleep on top of each other. There were two days until survival of the fittest would judge the third division, and the consensus was that everyone needed as much rest as they could get.

The next morning, the good captain was in high spirits, and gave the entire division a day off: they would be making a mass-exodus to the beach. Upon receiving word of this sudden vacation, Yamamoto was furious, but eventually calmed down, thanks to Captain Ukitake. Kenpachi laughed it off, and his division was too intoxicated to care.

Upon arrival, the division seemed to not know what exactly to do. This was remedied when their good captain explained to them what "the beach" was, as well as the concept of a "beach party." Catching on quickly, the members rushed off into the sand, splashing each other with water, building sand barracks, and relaxing.

This "field trip" worked wonders for Ichigo, due to the fact that he got to know his division fairly well. He learned that his men were at first timid, and until his promotion, one of the weakest of the Gotei 13. It was also news that Kiyomi was a rather new addition to the Squad, and that she spent quite a bit of time in the barracks.

Eventually, the day ended once again, and that it was time for them to retire. Many of them had prepared their wills for the following day; others drank to their hearts content, blissfully ignoring any potential hangover that could plague them the next day. Some had simply gone to sleep, having full confidence that they could survive if they prepared.

For the captain and lieutenant, they were in a much better mood than their entire division. After simply enjoying each other's company for a while, the former decided it was time to go to sleep.

"I'm beat Soi." Soi: that was her new pet name, after much debate between the two; they finally decided that Yoruichi retained the honor of calling her "her bee," so Ichigo had to think up a name for her.

_Soi_, however, wasn't as exhausted as her boyfriend, and as he lay down, she plopped right into his lap. "Come on, Ichigo," no pet name for him, as he was already her property. "There's something I want to know."

"Yeah, what would that be?" The Vizard sat up to get a better view at her magnificent form, just sitting there, right in front of him.

"Do you love me?" A look of worry cascaded across her face, which made her man guilty.

"Hold on, Soi, remember what I said earlier. I care about you, a lot, and I don't want to tell you that I love you, and discover that I don't a few days later. That's why I didn't want to go this fast in our relationship."

'Damn, he still doesn't love me? How do I make him feel the same way? What would lady Yoruichi do?' At that moment, the petite Shinigami recalled her conversation with the goddess of flash earlier that day. 'As she would put it, I'll have to coax him.'

Soi Fong moved her hand to touch his face. It was warm: not too hot, or mildly uncomfortable, but just right. She caressed his cheek, and shortened the gap between their faces. "Well, let me show just how much I love _you_."

* * *

A/N: I hope that this chapter was enjoyable. This chapter marks the end of the beginning, and the beginning of the end. I really can't extend this story without turning it completely stale, so I'm going to try and wrap it up neatly. I'm not sure when I'll be able to put up the next chapter, but I'll do my best to get it in around the Ides of March.

Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

Greetings everyone! I hope everyone is getting ready for spring(if where you live it's autumn instead, I express my condolences.)

To Eothr Si'lan: I'm glad you find my story interesting, and you brought up a great point that I wish I had addressed sooner. With this being my first story and everything, I wasn't sure that I could have made a long and drawn-out story. I wanted to evolve their relationship from where it was in canon(which was nonexistent until much later, and even then, it's barley anything) to where I put them, and I saw two ways to go about it when I wrote it.

The first, which I did, was start them off hating each other, and explain it later. The second, which I avoided, was extending the story to begin right after the main story ends, which would have been mostly boring filler with no relevance to the plot. Perhaps in another story I would choose differently, but alas, this is my first.

As for their progression, just wait and see. :)

I've also made a few modifications to the Bleach universe in this chapter that I found fitting.

**Bleach? I don't own it.**

**Enjoy****.**

* * *

The day started off as an absolutely brilliant morning. Both Ichigo and Soi Fong were pretty tired from the actions of the previous day, and their "commitment" during the previous evening didn't help much. Both would agree that the highlight of the morning, besides the obvious, was eating a generous breakfast.

Normally, breakfast would have been a casual activity, where food was distributed on a first-come first-serve basis. However, Ichigo had made a special request so that the entire division would congregate in one big hall to celebrate their last breaths of life.

When they saw both their captain and lieutenant walking to them, the division instantly knew that something positive happened between the two of them. Normally, they would have spread the knowledge throughout the Seireitei by now, but two factors hindered this.

First and foremost, the collaboration between Rangiku Matsumoto and Shuhei Hisagi had beaten them to the punch, and their words would only confirm the article published a few days prior. Second, over the past week, the division had grown to respect and revere their captain and lieutenant, the former more so. It grew to the point where there was an unspoken rule that if their captain didn't tell them something, they should consider his opinion before cleaning out the skeletons in his closet.

"Okay," he spoke, "I'm glad that everyone is here this morning. I want to thank each and every one of you for your service to the Seireitei and Soul Society. I will be the first to admit that I had not spent enough time with you to better understand your strengths and weaknesses, and I hope that you could forgive me."

The crowd stood silent, waiting for their captain to finish.

"Today, I don't expect that all of you will survive, but I hope that most of you do. I have confidence that you will make everyone proud."

Suddenly, a messenger appeared in the room, and approached Ichigo. The messenger gave him a scroll of some sort, and left. The confused Vizard opened the scroll, only to find that it was a special Kido designed as a map. The map detailed to the division where they would converge, and a detailed description of the surroundings.

"Now, this changes things. In fact, this gives me a great idea from a book I've read." The young captain grinned as he formulated his plan. "Okay everyone, I have a last-minute adjustment that I want to make…"

* * *

The event had not even started yet, and already there were occupants that were rushing to the scene where two divisions of the legendary Gotei 13 would wage sanctioned war upon each other. Of course, there were also betting lines, who took advantage of the "walking wallets."

"Place your bets, folks! The composed Captain Kenpachi, the one and only captain of Squad 11, is taking on the newbie Captain Kurosaki of Squad 3! Will the fan-favorite triumph, or could the underdog snatch victory under his nose! Come here and bet on who you think will win!"

In the stand, there was a marker which displayed the odds of the two captains. The numbers showed that the people believed that the odds of Ichigo winning were 33521 to 1, which shouldn't be surprising as the masses of Soul Society were, for the most part, unaware of the Winter War, and the passing conflicts within the Seireitei. If they found out that three of their best captains had infiltrated and defected, it would be scandal.

As the spectators for the event were filling into a large building, none were paying heed to the wildlife. Indeed, the animals that were sent on to Soul Society were not highly thought of by the residents of Rukongai, and largely ignored. To anyone who watched the animals now would have their eyes instantly glued to a nearby nest.

The nest held within it one egg, and two sparrows, which appeared to be its parents, were looking over it lovingly. Suddenly, a hawk descended upon the nest and attacked one of the birds. The two birds were attempting to hold off the hawk, but to no avail. Suddenly, one of the sparrows had been raked and fell to the ground. Its mate, in response, flailed madly at the hawk, which was gradually wounding the smaller bird.

This was a peculiar sight, and it drew the attention of much of the surrounding wildlife. Everything, from foxes to flies, circled around the tree that held the nest and observed. Not a soul would believe something of this caliber would have ever transpired had they not witnessed that scuffle.

* * *

"Hey, Ichigo?"

The division had finished their feast, and was in the process of marching to the designated location. Everyone was in good spirits, and they were excited for the chance to gain some pride. Their captain and lieutenant had led the charge, and while they weren't too far ahead, the rest of the Squad was out of earshot, giving the two some relative privacy.

"Yeah? What is it, Soi Fong?"

'Should I tell him? It would break my trust with his third seat, that's for sure, but she blackmailed me, after all. As an added bonus, her blackmail was used against her, so I should have nothing to lose, right?'

"There's something I need to talk to you about. It's about Kiyomi…"

As the raven-haired Shinigami spoke the last word, a silhouette started making pace to her man and much to his irritation, glomped him.

"Good morning, Captain Kurosaki. I trust that your day has gone well?" After giving him a pleasant smile, Kiyomi turned to his companion. "Good morning to you too, Lieutenant Soi Fong."

"Kiyomi, you know that I don't like you sneaking up on me like that." It was quickly noted that he had a tinge of anger in his voice, and Soi Fong noted that her beliefs that Ichigo would cheat on her were over before they began.

"Please, Captain Kurosaki? I get lonely when I'm back with the rest of the division, and you're so fun to be around." On her last note, the third seat tried snuggling into him, but her efforts were futile as she was pushed away.

The young captain sighed as the third-wheel in his love-life retracted to walk between him and the petite woman beside him. "Oh, Soi Fong, what did you want to tell me?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll tell you later."

"What if there isn't a 'later' hmm?" Ichigo said that with a smirk.

"If you die, I'll kill you." Soi Fong turned to face forward, ignoring the chuckle from the carrot-top, and the glare from the Hitsugaya-Matsumoto hybrid.

* * *

"Greetings, Captain Kurosaki, I see your timing is better than average this morning."

Said captain was about to respond, but tried to think of a clever response. He wasn't sure if the comment made by his boss was either a compliment or an insult, but he didn't care. He made a formal bow and moved, with his division behind him, to the wide expanse before him.

The field of choice was a vast empty meadow. The terrain seemed to vary, with a rather high hill on one side, a flat, rolling plain on the other, and an even higher plateau in the middle. There were trees off to the side, which made the area even more beautiful. It was a shame, Ichigo thought, that blood would soil this ground, but that was his own fault, and he couldn't let that keep him from winning.

"So gramps, when is this supposed to start? As much fun as contemplating my doom sounds, there are other things I'd like to do."

"The challenge was planned for an hour before noon, but depending on when Captain Zaraki decides to show up, you may have to wait longer."

The Vizard sighed, and almost lied down on the grass, when he felt a boisterous Reiatsu approach the area, and fast. A minute later, the crazy-hair division had stampeded to them. At their head, Kenpachi Zaraki himself was rushing in like a madman, while bickering with his lieutenant simultaneously. It was a wonder how he had not only went in the right direction for _anything_, but for him being _early_ as well was an astronomical impossibility.

"Hah! We made it! Ikkaku, you owe me your paycheck for the rest of the year!"

The bald third seat of the division could be seen with twin waterfalls pouring from his eyes. At least half of the Squad burst into laughter at the sight.

"Hey, old fart," the gigantic captain spoke once more. "When do we get to fight? I've been itching for this all week!"

Yamamoto looked at the eleventh division sternly, as he always does. "Seeing as the two of you, as well as your divisions are here, I can say that it can commence. However, before you two start killing each other, there are a few announcements I must make. You may pick the area of your choosing before we begin."

"Hey Ichigo, I'm feeling generous, so I'm going to let you pick where you want your division to set up first."

"I don't need your help, Kenpachi. In fact, I think you're the one who's going to need help."

"Is that so, Ichigo? We'll see about that, just don't get overconfident like last time."

The third division, interestingly enough, had moved over to the top of the hill, which had a spectacular view. The eleventh division moved rather boastfully to the flat plain below, unfazed about the environment.

* * *

Noting that the event was one to behold, every single captain and lieutenant in the Gotei 13 was drawn immediately to the combat area. Normally, the Central 46 would have panicked at the sudden shift in manpower out of the Seireitei, but in their place were hundreds of Kido barriers erected over the past week. Every seated officer above fifth seat who was both sufficient in Kido, and not in detainment, save Retsu Unohana, was obligated to help create such barriers, and the efforts paid off. The normally impervious barrier above the Seireitei was reinforced with a shield that was so strong, that Yamamoto himself would need twenty four hours to break them all.

The old captain himself was sitting sternly in a stand that looked similar to a booth. Beside him were the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13, who were anticipating the battle to behold. The Head-Captain stood up, and made his announcement.

"Today, we of the Gotei 13 shall be witnessing the third division, and the eleventh division, fight each other in sanctioned combat. This time, the stakes are higher for the newer of the challengers, Captain Kurosaki. Due to offenses he has committed, this battle will serve as his trial."

Much commotion could be heard from said captain's division, but the first division captain quickly shut them up.

"Now, of course, the winning captain of this competition shall have one request of his fulfilled. There has been much debate raging in the Central 46 Chambers about this, and as of this morning, the decree that any and all requests shall be granted, will not be abridged."

'Any and all requests, huh?' He quickly glanced at Soi Fong, who was too absorbed in the speech to notice. 'He'll go nuts about it, him and Byakuya both, but he didn't state any exceptions.'

"Be wary, for the ground is not what it seems. Besides that, you two are now free to fight each other. Begin."

* * *

Off in the distance, the eleventh division was preparing to charge at Ichigo.

"Okay boys, time to show them who's boss! No matter what you do, Ichigo is mine!"

* * *

On the other side, Ichigo was preparing his men to fight.

"Okay everyone, I know that we aren't at the pinnacle of our power, but we can't let that stop us from winning!"

"Don't you have anything inspiring to say, Ichigo?"

"Uh," the captain was thinking, pretending that there wasn't a stampeding herd of Shinigami preparing to rip out his throat. "Defeat the enemy now, die in battle later!"

Before the third division could ask him what he meant by that, the captain barked one last command to his division. "Okay everyone, get in formation now!"

As the brave Shinigami took their places along the top of the hill, the captain of Squad 11 appeared right in front of their captain, and landed a blow that sent him flying straight to the plateau in the middle.

"Ichigo!"

"Captain Kurosaki!" Their screams were in vain, as their beloved leader was behind enemy lines, and the approaching mob had engaged them in a bloody melee.

* * *

The two captains landed with a thump, the younger appearing surprised. "Hey! What's the big idea?"

"I just wanted to make sure that our fight would go uninterrupted. Convenient that the geography itself lets that happen, huh?"

"Whatever," Ichigo said while unsheathing Zangetsu. "There're some questions that I have to ask you."

Kenpachi unsheathed his Zanpakuto as well. "I'm going to garner a guess that at least one is about my Zanpakuto. I'll explain it to you, but it will be easier if I release it first."

"Good idea. Protect, Zangetsu!"

As the third division captain released his blade, the eleventh division captain looked on with the familiar glint in his eye that he gets whenever he fights a worthy opponent. He pointed his blade to his foe, and prepared to enter Shikai.

* * *

"Come on, you can do this!"

Soi Fong was not one anyone would expect to be encouraging, and the Onmitsukido could attest to this. However, with the abduction of their beloved leader, the morale of Squad 3 dropped enormously. In order for them to have a fighting chance, something needed to be done, and someone needed to take charge.

"Look out left flank! Hold your ground! Kiyomi, there are a dozen more coming for you!"

In Ichigo's absence, the lieutenant and third seat had divided the division into two groups. Soi Fong would manage the north flank, while Kiyomi handled the south flank. The method proved rather effective, and morale had returned to its previous level.

"We can do this!" The third seat was about to jump for joy, when an eleventh division member jumped for her. He caught her off guard, and forced her back with a slash on her Shihakusho.

Her attacker stood out from the rest of the division. He stood fairly tall, with some peculiar customizations. He wore the standard Shihakusho, but there appeared to be an orange piece of clothing on his shoulders, giving the illusion of it being a turtleneck. The orange piece stretched under his uniform and ended on his right arm as a sleeve. The most notable details of him were not his jaw-length black hair, but the ornate feathers protruding from his right eye.

"What a beautiful face, almost as gorgeous as my own."

* * *

Meanwhile, Soi Fong was managing well in commanding her side. Despite the time constraints on preparation, the division was matching its opponent: for every Shinigami that fell on their side, one would surely fall on the other. Their lieutenant was positive that they could win.

Thoughts of victory may have been too soon. Just as she was getting ready to join the fray, a Zanpakuto collided with her own. Upon closer inspection, she told herself that she should have known.

The assailant appeared normal by Squad 11 standards, but the only difference was that he was bald. Other than that, the only noticable features on his face were his eyes, which had red markings on their outer corners.

"Hah, and I was just about to think that I wouldn't get any challenge at all."

* * *

"Breathe, Invictus!"

Ichigo's jaw would have dropped at the sight of Kenpachi's release command had he not seen it earlier in the week.

"I'm guessing your first question is why my Zanpakuto has such a strange name. Honestly, I don't know. I've done some research, and Chojiro tells me that it's some sort of dead language. Funny how I have an Eastern blade with a Western name, but I don't really care: at least he has a name."

Upon closer inspection of the blade, Invictus appeared to be noticeably different. The nicks on the blade had seemed to disappear, and the bandaged hilt had apparently grown slightly. Overall, Zaraki's Reiatsu grew even more monstrous, making Ichigo more cautious.

"That's impressive, but there's something else that's bugging me. At my promotion ceremony, you came with your eye patch on. How long have you been able to control your Reiatsu?"

The towering captain sighed as he prepared for the explanation. Apparently, ever since the Central 46 had been reinstated, they had passed massive legislation on the Seireitei. Part of the legislation was aimed at removing Kenpachi from his position. A new decree was issued that stated that all current captains were required to learn the name of their Zanpakuto, as well as establishing efficient communication with it, and mastering a certain degree of Kido, depending on their skills in other areas, within a year of either taking their position, or starting form the moment the decree was made law.

Everyone could tell that the enormous captain was screwed, and offered to help him as best they could. Try as he might, he couldn't even control his Reiatsu. Then one night, Kisuke Urahara appeared to him and offered his help. At first Zaraki refused, but eventually he allowed himself to be aided by the exiled Shinigami. Thanks to his Reiryoku Sphere, he had his Reiatsu under control, and his Zanpakuto sealed, by the next morning.

"Wait, Hat-n-Clogs gave you that Sphere thing too?"

"Why of course. You didn't think that you were the guinea pig, did you?" He let out a laugh. "However, he did say that he modeled the thing after you."

'After me? What does he mean by that?'

Continuing his explanation, Kenpachi had learned the name of his Zanpakuto, and established a decent relationship with it, within a few months. The necessary mastery of Kido came a few months afterwards, but Ichigo couldn't help but wonder that something was fishy in his explanation.

"That's great Kenpachi, but there's one more-"

"That's enough talk, I'm getting bored of this. Let's fight now!"

Raising Zangetsu to act as a shield, the Vizard narrowly blocked the relentless attack. After being pushed back, he raised his cleaver to slash at his large foe, but it barley made a scratch on him. The two continued to trade blows, both of them getting cuts in various places, oblivious to the battle going on below.

* * *

Meanwhile, the brawl had died down a notch.

Soi Fong was still fighting third seat Ikkaku Madarame, and Kiyomi was currently preoccupied with fifth seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, but the rest of their divisions were largely cut down. Save Soi Fong and Ikkaku, the entire northern theater was cut down: not a single notable Shinigami was standing. The southern theater, however, had vast third division casualties, but around 50 eleventh division members were still able to stand. They surrounded Kiyomi like vultures, waiting for their opportunity to pounce, and get some sick, twisted "fun."

"Don't even think about trying to save her, your fight is with _me_. Neither you, or your sex toy are going to help her."

"Try me, Ikkaku Madarame."

Try her, he did indeed, but the third seat was unable to stop the second-fastest Shinigami in Soul Society.

Appearing behind Kiyomi's back, the petite Shinigami raised her Zanpakuto to guard her rear. In the corner of her eye, she spotted a certain cue ball coming right for her, and apparently angry.

* * *

A loud rumbling could be heard, but none of the combatants knew where it was coming from. As the rumbling got louder, the fighting stopped altogether, and caused many to look for solid ground. Eventually, the rumbling grew even louder, and suddenly, the earth itself crumbled beneath them. At first, many expected to fall, but instead, they felt like they were elevated.

Upon inspecting the surroundings, they obviously weren't in the meadow anymore. The ground had changed from a nice, calm plain, to a sandy, flat land. The area had changed too. Instead of beautiful trees serving as a border, an enormous ring rose from the ground and reached for the sky. If the change in scenery was surprising, then what was next was a heart attack.

For reasons they didn't understand, they heard _cheering_ as the scene changed. After everything settled, they could fully take in their surroundings. They appeared to be in some sort of complex with no exit in sight. All around them, thousands upon thousands of spectators were cheering them on. Between them and the spectators, however, was a solid line of blue Reiatsu, which appeared to be protecting them. In the front row, the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13 watched in anticipation.

* * *

"I must say, Captain Kurotsuchi, I thought that your work on Fake Karakura Town was impressive, but this blows it out of the water."

"If I must say, this is my finest work. The amount of research I gained from Aizen's archives was immense, and I must say, it was tragic that he turned out the way he did. A mind like his doesn't come around very often."

"I mind not that a mind like his is a rare commodity. Let us hope it stays that way."

* * *

"Welcome, Captain Kurosaki, Captain Zaraki, to the Soul Society Coliseum. Pay no heed to the change in scenery, or the masses that have come to watch you fight. We have already cleared the field of fallen Shinigami."

True to his word, the Head-Captain had every last fallen Shinigami from either division taken off the field, where they were presumably being treated for injury. Ichigo decided to take a look at those who were watching him.

From the looks of it, every single member of the Gotei 13 was there, including thousands of souls from every single district. The stands were packed, and he assumed that it was an enormous source of revenue. Even the Onmitsukido and the Kido Corps were there, the former watching their detained leader intently, and the latter maintaining the barrier that protected the spectators.

"I was expecting something… different," the Squad 3 captain said aloud. In the corner of his eye, he spotted Soi Fong fighting intently. "I think I'll keep an eye on her, just to be safe-"

"Forgetting about me?" A long blade came swiping right at him. Ichigo barley dodged in time to avoid decapitation.

'Maybe I'll sneak a peak every now and then…'

* * *

Meanwhile, Soi Fong was too preoccupied to notice her love's attention.

From her point of view, Kiyomi was just about to release her Zanpakuto when Yumichika appeared directly in front of her, landed a swipe on her, and cut her down. The moment that she touched the ground, her body mysteriously disappeared. This didn't make the lieutenant any less angry.

"Just come and try to hit me, I dare you worthless pieces of scum!" Zanpakuto raised, she assumed a posture that would allow her to anticipate attacks from the most possible angles.

"You little _bitch_!" One of the dumber of the eleventh division members broke ranks and attacked her. Unfortunately for him, he landed face-down on the ground faster than a Shinigami could say "Ouch." Angered that their comrade was beaten so quickly, another challenger came forward to avenge him, and fell just as quickly. Luckily for the provisional lieutenant of the third division, Squad 11 wasn't big in the brains department, and more and more of them charged at her, one at a time.

* * *

"Getsuga Tenshou!"

As the fight continued, Ichigo noted that it was more and more difficult to beat his opponent. At this rate, his Shikai alone wouldn't be able to match his opponent.

"I know that isn't all you got, Ichigo. Stop holding back, so I don't have to!"

"Hold back! You're holding back!?!"

"Why of course! You didn't think that my Zanpakuto didn't have any special abilities, did you?"

"What special abilities are you talking about?"

"You'll see…"

* * *

Meanwhile, surprised as she was, Soi Fong was pushed into releasing Suzumebachi soon after clearing most of the crowd attacking her.

"What's the matter, _Lieutenant_ Soi Fong? I hope you haven't gotten tired yet: we've only just got started!" Her lone opponent, Ikkaku, held swagger in his stride as he closed in. The third seat of the eleventh division was wielding Hozukimaru, his Zanpakuto, in its released form, which was more akin to a spear.

"You worthless scum! You will be begging for mercy when I'm through with you!" She charged straight for him, Skikai raised, and aimed straight for his chest. Anticipating this, he said "split" to no one in particular, and suddenly his spear had divided into three segments. Utilizing the change in his weapon's form, Ikkaku easily trapped his opponent's arm, and rendered it useless.

"The bee isn't so fearsome without her stinger, huh?" Cue-ball smirked and tightened his hold. "Or maybe, our little bee didn't get her nectar-"

"Damn you!" At that moment, the petite Shinigami wrangled out of his hold, kicked her foe in the family jewels, and seized his neck, within the span of 3 seconds.

"Oi! Aren't you going to finish it, you man-hater?"

"You should be grateful…" Suzumebachi raised, the woman impaled her opponent straight through the back, generously missing any vital organs by millimeters. Almost as soon as it started, Ikkaku had fallen.

"I… guess that- BLAGH!" Determined to stay alive, baldy attempted to keep the conversation going, but unfortunately for him, a surge of crimson bile forced its way up his throat. Soi Fong looked on in slight disgust, and then turned her head to the more interesting battle at hand.

"I should probably go check on Ichigo, he may need my help." The detained Onmitsukido leader flash stepped her way to the scene of the battle, ignoring the various cuts and bruises enveloping her, and the trail of blood she left behind.

* * *

"Well look what we have here, you're girlfriend decided to help you out. How sweet."

Ichigo and Kenpachi were clashing blades while the rest of their divisions were picked at like meat on bones. Despite numerous cuts on both parties, neither held a clear advantage, even though the former was in Bankai.

"Soi Fong, stay out of this! This is my fight! I don't want you getting hurt!"

"No, Ichigo! I'm here to support you! There's no way I'm letting _him_ kill you!"

'This is just like one of those bad soap operas Yuzu and dad loved so much.' After giving it a moment of thought, the young captain came to a conclusion. "Look, if you just stay out of our way, I'll let you watch us fight, and if I fall, you can come in, okay?"

"I can't afford to let that happen Ichigo! I'm helping you." Soi Fong was about to release her Zanpakuto, or so it seemed, when she was interrupted by something else.

"If you aren't going to move on your own free will," the behemoth raised his left hand, and pointed at her. "Then I'll just have to move you myself."

'Is he doing what I think he's doing?' The ginger shook his head in disbelief. 'There's no way that he could, I mean it's _impossible_! _Him_, of all people?'

"Bakudo #63: Sajo Sabaku!" A large, yellow energy rope emitted from the large captain's fingertip and wrapped around the unsuspecting Shinigami's arms. The wounds had a small part in it, but the disbelief that the great captain of the eleventh division, the man who never attended the Academy for even a day, could utilize a Kido of that caliber held a large part in paralyzing her so that it could work.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the stands, the crowd was in uproar.

Upon the arrival of Soi Fong to the battle, everyone had assumed that Ichigo and the third division would win. When Kenpachi used revealed his Kido ability, at least half of the crowd froze in silence.

The situation among the captains and lieutenants looking on wasn't much better.

"This is bad," Yoruichi was shocked that a spell that powerful was being used by any of the three present, and even more surprised when her star pupil was entangled by it. "There's no way…"

"It seems the tables have turned," Unohana was doing her best to sound as neutral as possible, although even for her, it wasn't an easy feat. "I pray that none of them are permanently injured."

"Do you think Kurosaki can match Zaraki?" Toshiro Hitsugaya was suddenly more interested in the fight. "If he can do this, there's no telling what the extent of his abilities are."

All were too occupied on the fight to notice that a cloaked figure was standing above the highest rise, watching on with a grin.

* * *

"This isn't my style, but if I have to…"

"What are you doing, Kenpachi?" The carrot top couldn't believe his eyes at what he was seeing. A restrained Soi Fong was before him, and he was paralyzed in fear.

Just like before, Kenpachi raised his left hand, and pointed at his target once more. "I'm going to guarantee that our fight is strictly one-on-one, and I don't want her interfering."

"Don't do it, Kenpachi!"

"Hado #88: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!" A blue beam of spiritual energy Ichigo knew all too well was emitted from Kenpachi's fingertip.

The war hero was too shocked to move. He felt that everything was moving in slow motion, and in horror, witnessed the blast land a direct hit on his lieutenant.

"SOI FONG! NOOOO!"

His pleas fell on deaf ears, and when the blast landed, an enormous explosion engulfed the area, and when the smoke cleared, no carcass could be seen: only the ashes left behind.

* * *

A/N: Oh no! It appears that Soi Fong was a victim of circumstance. How will Ichigo react? What powers do Kenpachi's Zanpakuto really have? Will Ichigo be able to win the day, or will he die by Zaraki's hand?

I decided to split this into two chapters, due to the fact that this one leaves a good cliffhanger. Despite that, I don't plan on ending the story next chapter, but there will be a few more after that. Now, if you were surprised by my choice for Kenpachi's Zanpakuto, the commercial Coliseum, and leaving the Seireitei unguarded, I made my choices for a reason.

I chose Kenpachi's Zanpakuto, Invictus, due to the fact that it's Latin for "unconquerable, or undefeated" which matches the title "Kenpachi" all too well. At first, I was going to give him a traditional Japanese Zanpakuto, but I wanted a flair of originality.

As for the Coliseum, and its massive audience, there was also a good reason, in my mind, for it. In case you were unaware, the Seireitei is known to pay its Shinigami. I looked at various sources, but I couldn't find where the money came from. From there, one idea that came into mind was a fundraiser. The Coliseum itself was chosen because in the past, various commercial fights between various combinations of gladiators, convicts, and animals were held there, and it fit perfectly. It also matched Kenpachi's Zanpakuto, which may make it a tad bit more boring, but I thought of it as original.

Now it should be a no-brainer that realistically, the Seireitei would never be left unguarded, but I had a reason or two for it. One being explained next chapter, and the other due to the fact that almost everyone within the Seireitei knew of Ichigo's existance, and his deeds, after Aizen's defeat, at least in my story, and wouldn't want to miss it for the world. So long as everyone and everything was evacuated, and enough protection was placed over the dome, no Hollow would even want to go near it, in my opinion at least.

Please Review!


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